20-11-2014: Bogus Health Inspector
This notice serves to warn the community of a person who goes around inspecting shops and poses as an Environmental Health Practitioner (Health Inspector).
He leaves behind an ID copy and goes by the name of John Duran. He wears a nametag on which the words Health Inspector are engraved.
He targets food premises, conducts inspections in premises and claims that he was called from Durban to come and work for the City of Johannesburg because of problems and staff shortages the city experiences.
He removes documentations from the walls including tax certificates etc, then writes a notice to the business owner to apply for Certificate of Acceptability (COA) and/or business license and provides application forms for it. He afterwards request payment for the application/s thereafter payment for processing thereof and lastly payment for the certificate, license or permit (the certificate is a duplicate, adjusted, fraudulent document).
He started in the Inner City, where a case was opened at SAPS, he moved to Joubert Park and then to Fordsburg where he was arrested, and subsequently released on bail. He is allegedly now operating in the Randburg and Sandton areas.
The public is warned and advised to know their Environmental Health Practitioners who have been issued with proper Identification Cards that bear the following information:
• The logo of the City of Joburg
• A photograph of the official
• Name of the official
• His/her designation
• Identity number and
• SAP number (Employee number)
The Identification Card is only valid if it is signed at the back thereof by the Executive Director: Health and by the Official to whom it is issued.
NB: Certificate of Acceptability is free, other health licenses and permits have to be paid for at a specific pay point and not by giving money to the area Environmental Health Practitioners (EHP).
For any information and clarity please contact the Environmental Health Directorate at (011) 407- 6494 / 6545.
ENDS
For more information please contact:
Nkosinathi Nkabinde
Communication Specialist
City of Johannesburg Group Communication & Tourism Department
Tel: (011) 407 - 6477
Cell: 083 408 7787
E-mail: nkosinathin@joburg.org.za
