Media Release 5/2025 SANC warns against fraud
28 August 2025
FOR ATTENTION : NEWS EDITOR
SUBJECT : SANC WARNS AGAINST FRAUD
DATE : 28 August 2025
The South African Nursing Council (SANC) has issued an urgent warning to employers, nurses and the public at large with regards to the SANC Registration Certificates, Annual Practicing Certificates (APCs) and epaulettes (distinguishing devices).
The South African Nursing Council is the body entrusted to set and maintain standards of nursing education and practice in the Republic of South Africa. It is an autonomous, financially independent, statutory body operating under the Nursing Act, 2005 (Act No. 33 of 2005). The SANC is responsible for the issuing of registration certificates to duly qualified nurses. To this end it takes several measures to protect the authenticity of the nurse certificates.
It has come to the SANC’s attention that fraudulent certificates of registration purporting to be SANC certificates as well as Annual Practicing Certificates are being duplicated and/or fraudulently created and openly sold to nurses and non-nurses as SANC certificates of registration and of annual practice.
Says Prof Ntombifikile Mtshali, Registrar and CEO of the SANC:” The sale of these copies of fraudulent certificates and distinguishing devices is a criminal offence and is very concerning as the well-being of healthcare users is put at stake – imagine being treated by someone who has fraudulently come into possession of a registration and/or practicing certificate. The SANC is calling on the public, nurses and employers to contact us if you have any information about the sale of these fraudulent certificates. All information will be handled with the strictest level of confidence. Information can be sent to email address: [email protected] or by phoning Tel. (012) 420-1074.”
Employers are reminded to always check the authenticity of their employees’ certificates by consulting the SANC eRegister at: www.sanc.co.za/eregister/
The well-being of patients, your loved ones, is at stake – please do the right thing and report these fraudulent activities by using the channels provided above. It could be you or a family member who are treated by fraudulently registered nurses in the future if we do not bring these perpetrators to task.
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Issued by:
Mrs. Adri Van Eeden
Senior Manager: Communication, Marketing and Client Services
South African Nursing Council
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.sanc.co.za
Tel: 012 426-9542
Official Spokesperson and person to be quoted:
Prof NG Mtshali
Registrar and CEO: SA Nursing Council
For more information or to arrange for an interview with the Spokesperson, please contact Mrs. Adri Van Eeden on Tel. (012) 426-9542 or email: [email protected] or
Ms. P. Moloi, Communication Manager on Tel. (012) 420-1017, email: [email protected]