Cuban doctor released on warning after being arrested in Limpopo for theft of medication
A 54-year-old Cuban doctor appeared in the Thabazimbi Magistrate’s Court this week after she was allegedly caught with stolen medication from Thabazimbi Hospital in Limpopo.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Dr Yamilet Castaneda was charged with theft after a security officer at the hospital found unauthorised medication in her bag during a routine search at the facility’s main gate on 2 September 2025.
Further searches of the doctor’s office allegedly uncovered additional medication, with the total value of the recovered items estimated at R1,780, said NPA regional spokesperson in Limpopo, Mashudu Malabi.
Castaneda was released on warning, and the case was postponed to 28 November 2025 for further investigation.
“The National Prosecuting Authority remains committed to ensuring that all allegations of criminal conduct, regardless of the status or position of the accused, are investigated and prosecuted in accordance with the law,” said Malabi.
Police investigations into the incident are ongoing.
Background: Cuban doctors in South Africa
Cuban doctors have worked in South Africa for nearly three decades as part of a bilateral agreement between the two countries’ governments. The Cuban Medical Brigade was first deployed in the late 1990s to help strengthen healthcare delivery, particularly in rural and under-resourced areas.
While the programme has been credited with filling gaps in South Africa’s public health system, it has also faced criticism over costs, language barriers, and questions around the conditions under which Cuban medical professionals are contracted.
The Department of Health has previously defended the initiative, saying it plays an important role in improving access to healthcare in remote communities.
Last year, IOL reported that a 31-year-old medical doctor spent the weekend behind bars in Middelburg, Mpumalanga, after she was arrested for allegedly stealing medication and medical equipment estimated at R50,000.
“The doctor found herself on the wrong side of the law when her vehicle was searched by security personnel while departing from a government hospital on 1 March 2024, at about 4.45pm,” Mpumalanga police spokesperson, Captain Magonseni Nkosi said at the time.
Police reports indicate that “numerous” medications and medical equipment were found in her vehicle, concealed in the boot.
“The doctor could not explain why the government’s property was in her car,” said Nkosi.
jonisayi.maromo@iol.co.za
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