Pretoria - Two siblings who defrauded the KwaZulu-Natal Health Department's Emergency Medical and Rescue Service (EMRS) are expected to appear at the Durban Magistrate Court today.
According to Provincial Health Department spokesperson, Chris Maxon, the two brothers were arrested on Wednesday by the Durban Central Police after it was discovered that the one brother stole the identity of the other and received a salary for five months.
"Last year, the department recruited and employed 322 EMRS personnel. After the selection process, one of the two brothers was offered the job and had to start work on 1 September 2011.
"It has been discovered that the siblings share the same initials and surname and when the one, who was successful, was to report for duty, he instead sent his brother since he was already employed by a private ambulance service," Maxon said, adding that both brothers were qualified Basic Life Support officers.
The arrest of the two siblings follows an internal verification process, where it was discovered that the one brother, who was working in the department at the Durban's EMRS base, was not the successful candidate for the job.
The department said it will fully cooperate with the police investigations and should it be found that there are other accomplices, they will face the full might of the law.
