A 54-year-old Cuban doctor has appeared in the Thabazimbi Magistrate’s Court after she was allegedly caught with stolen medication from Thabazimbi Hospital in Limpopo.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the doctor, identified as Dr. Yamilet Castaneda, was charged with theft after a security officer found unauthorised medication in her bag during a routine search at the hospital’s main gate on September 2, 2025.
Further searches conducted in her office reportedly uncovered more 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 has been postponed to November 28, 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,” Malabi said.
Police investigations into the matter are ongoing.
Cuban doctors have been working in South Africa for nearly three decades under a bilateral agreement between the two governments. The Cuban Medical Brigade, first deployed in the late 1990s, was introduced to strengthen healthcare delivery in rural and under-resourced areas.
While the programme has been praised for addressing shortages in the public health system, it has faced criticism over costs, language barriers, and employment conditions. The Department of Health has continued to defend the initiative, saying it improves access to healthcare in remote communities.
