The Gauteng Department of Education has entered the chat.
On Wednesday, department spokesperson Steve Mabona said there is no record of a National Senior Certificate or matric certificate for bogus social media doctor, Matthew Bongani Lani.
Lani has been masquerading on social media as a medical practitioner, offering medical advice to his more than 200,000 followers.
According to Mabona, the department's official records indicate that Matthew Bongani Lani was initially enrolled at Bordeaux Primary School in Randburg in 2007.
“However, he was referred to Gresswold Learners with Special Educational Needs (LSEN) School in Kew, Johannesburg in January 2010,” Mabona said.
“This followed an evaluation at the time, which determined that his academic performance dictated that he be transferred to an LSEN school. Subsequently, his academic journey at Gresswold LSEN School came to an end in September 2012.”
He said Lani re-emerged on the department's system in 2016 at Fourways Adult Centre, where he wrote three subjects as a part-time candidate. However, he only passed one of those subjects.
"Based on these records, and further verified information at our disposal from Umalusi, we can confirm that Matthew Bongani Lani indeed does not possess a matric certificate," Mabona stated.
Lani claimed to have obtained his medical qualifications from the University of Witwatersrand and attended Cambridge International College, however, both institutions have denied having him as a student.
Furthermore, the Health Professions Council of SA says the name Matthew Zingelwa-Lani, another alias used by Lani, does not appear on the country's register of health practitioners.
The Gauteng Department of Health has also laid a charge against him, while second year medical intern, Dr Sanele Sobani Vambai Zingelwa, has since opened a case of identity theft at the Tembisa police station.
IOL