So you want a fake medical certificate? Meet Mancane and co.

Between Vlei and Ngwenya streets in the Maphanga district of Katlehong on the East Rand, behind a busy BP garage, these “businessmen” sell authentic hospital certificates to desperate employees at a rate of R80 a day (at a bulk discount of R200 for five days, or R600 for three weeks).

Responding to a tip-off, amaBhungane found two separate groups of young entrepreneurs competing with each other in offering the same service, relaxing on beer crates on the pavement, sipping beer and calmly chatting.

Mancane, holding a bottle in one hand, whistled and made a hand signal with the other to symbolise writing.

“If you’re here for a doctor’s note, this is the right place,” he said. “Give us your name and wait here.”

When we indicated we were interested, he asked the desired period of absence and the medical condition. Told that the problem was a headache, he wrote down “migraine”.

One of the men disappeared between the shops and minutes later returned with an official form stamped by Natalspruit Hospital , serial number L380896, signing the ailing journalist off work from January 6 to 13. This was clearly a thriving business – three other clients were waiting for certificates.

Mancane proudly told amaBhungane that he serves at least ten clients a day, with the busiest days being Fridays and Mondays. “We even get university students coming here if they’ve missed a test or they’re late with an assignment.”

A woman who identified herself as Thandi, who lives in Vlei Street, said that she and some her co-workers have long been clients. She said that the business has been operating for more than five years and is well-known in the area.

But in some quarters the scam seems to be wearing thin. “My managers noticed that the notes are fake,” Thandi said. “Now they investigate them, especially those from Natalspruit.”

Others who were interviewed admitted the business is illegal but a good resource in an emergency.

At the Natalspruit hospital, which has now shifted to Vosloorus 15km away, an administrator told amaBhungane that our form might be fake because writing appeared over the stamp, rather than the other way round, and the stamp appeared on the printed space, rather than at the bottom. A clerk pointed out that the patient number does not exist.

However, the secretary in the office of the hospital’s chief executive, Dr Patricia Africa, confirmed that the form was authentic.

“The hospital uses the same note for all patients and the fact that it has a stamp it shows that it is from the hospital,” she said, taking out a book of sick notes identical to the one amaBhungane bought on the street. Prince Hamnca head of communications at the Gauteng health department, said the department is aware of the Katlehong “business“ and that surrounding companies have taken to visiting the hospital to verify the authenticity of sick notes. “The matter has been reported to the police … Fighting fraud and corruption is high on our agenda,” he said.

Katlehong police spokesperson Captain Mega Ndobe said he knew nothing about medical certificate fraud.

“A person who has an illegal sick note should go the police and report the evidence,” Ndobe said “We can’t just go to the streets and arrest without a case being opened.”

Pharie Sefali is a GroundUp reporter currently doing a three month internship at the Mail & Guardian’s investigative reporting centre AmaBhungane.