In South Africa, when an employee is too sick to work, you need to show a valid medical certificate to get a sick leave. You must have it if you want to get paid during the days off. You can read this article to find out how to obtain a medical certificate in South Africa.
What is medical certificate
Under section 17 of the Medical, Dental and Supplementary Health Service Professions Act, 1974 (Act No. 56 of 1974), a medical certificate is a medical document provided by a person registered with a professional council. The medical practitioner is certified to diagnose and treat patients. Based on the professional examination, the medical practitioner needs to detail the fitness status that he or she is unfit to perform normal duties on the medical certificate. Usually, the medical certificate contains the following basic information:
- The name and employment number of the patient
- The medical practitioner’s name, address and qualification
- Examination date and time
- Description of the illness and capacity to which the patient is able to perform duties in the work.
- The period of sick leave and date of issuing certificate.
Types of SA medical certificate
In South Africa, there are different types of medical certificates. Here you can check the following certifications
Medical sick leave certificate
A registered medical practitioner may issue this sick leave certificate by confirming a patient’s illness and proving their temporary disability to work or study. If employees or students need to leave for a few days due to illness or accident, they must show this certificate.
Medical fitness Certificate
This fitness certificate is issued by a registered medical practitioner to prove a person’s physical and mental health. You will need this certificate to prove that you are capable of performing specific tasks or responsibilities, such as study, work, sports, or adventure sports.
Medical recovery certificate
This recovery certificate is issued for those who have successfully recovered from a medical problem. Now they feel better in their physical condition and can go back to work or study.
Medical caretaker certificate
If you need to take care of your family or relatives who are sick and have to leave their professional or academic institutions, you must obtain this certificate.
Custom medical certificate
This certificate, issued by a dual registered medical practitioner, has many types, such as sick leave, fitness, caretaker, recovery or customs. It is drafted in agreement with the specific requirements of any institution such as colleges or universities.
When a medical certificate is requested
Under the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA), employees in South Africa will be required to show a medical certificate in certain circumstances. The following situations occur:
- An employee is absent from work for more than two consecutive days.
- An employee is absent on more than two occasions during an eight-week period.
If you are absent for more than two consecutive days without a valid medical certificate, you will not be paid during the days off. Therefore, you should provide a medical certificate on the third day in order to obtain your pay for the three days. The medical certificate must state that you were unable to work due to illness or injury, and it should be based on the professional opinion of a medical practitioner who is registered with a professional council.
Who may issue and sign my medical certificate
According to Section 23 of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act 75 of 1997 (BCEA), “the medical certificate must be issued and signed by a medical practitioner or any other person who is certified to diagnose and treat patients and who is registered with a professional council established by an Act of Parliament.” Therefore, the medical practitioners should be Medical practitioners (doctors), Dentists, or Psychologists with a master’s degree in education, counseling, or clinical psychology who are registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa.
Specific medical practitioners who may issue and sign the medical certificate in South Africa are:
- Acupuncturist
- Ayurveda practitioner
- Chinese medicine practitioner
- Chiropractor
- Homeopath
- Naturopath
- Osteopath
- Phytotherapis
- Unani-tib practitioner.
How to get a medical certificate for employment
If you want to obtain a medical certificate for employment in South Africa, there are different ways available, such as visiting a registered medical practitioner or obtaining a medical certificate online. Here you can check the following tips to obtain a medical certificate for your sick leave.
Visit registered medical practitioner
In the traditional way, you can visit a medical practitioner near you, such as a GP or any private doctor in South Africa registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). You need to inform them that you need to request a medical certificate because you are too sick to carry out the normal work. After the medical practitioner has completed the professional checking for you, they will issue you the medical certificate stating that you are unable to perform normal duties because of illness or an injury. The off time on your medical certificate will depend on your health situation.
Online
If you are too busy or too tired to see a doctor in person, you can obtain an online medical certificate instead. Here you can follow these steps to get a certificate online:
- You can visit the Medical Certificate website which offers online medical certificates in South Africa from registered medical practitioners.
- You must complete the application form by providing some necessary information.
- After you have submitted the information, an assigned medical advisor will contact you to request additional documentation such as test reports and prescriptions.
- Then your medical certificate will then be shared with your assigned physician who is registered by a certified practitioner.
- You will receive your medical certificate in South Africa within 30 minutes under priority service.
🔎Read Also: How to Get Medical Certificate for PDP
Is getting a medical certificate online legal & valid?
Yes. It is allowed to have an SA medical certificate online as long as the valid medical certificate comes from a licensed doctor who is registered with a professional council established by an Act of Parliament. When you obtain the online medical certificate, it must have the doctor’s basic information(the practice number), the dates of sick leave, and your situation. Therefore, getting a medical certificate online is legal and valid just like you make an in-person appointment to visit your regular doctor. If the employer or organization has any questions about the online medical certificate, they can verify its validity directly through the website.
How much is a medical certificate in South Africa?
In South Africa, you are required to pay for a medical certificate, no matter you apply for it online or visit the medical practitioners. The price of the medical certificate will depend on how long the sick leave is. The medical certificate cost is R150, if you need the medical proof for 1-2 days. However, it will cost you about R450, if you need to get a medical certificate for more than 2 days. If you need a traditional in-person doctor’s appointment, the price can be more expensive, ranging from R400 to R600. The application fee includes both the cost of the doctor’s evaluation and the certificate.
FAQ
Can I get a medical certificate for work without seeing a doctor in person?
Yes, you can get a South African medical certificate for work without seeing a doctor in person. If you have mild illnesses and you don’t want to have a doctor’s visit, you can get a medical certificates online in South Africa. You must ensure that the online certificate is issued and signed by a practitioner who is registered with a professional council established by an Act of Parliament. However, you might need to visit a doctor in person, if you are experiencing a more severe illness.
How much is a doctor’s note in South Africa?
If you are absent for more than 2 days without a valid medical certificate, you will not be paid during the off days. If you want a doctor’s note for more than 2 days, it may cost you about R450. If you only need a doctor’s note for 1-2 days, it will cost you about R150.
What happens if my doctor is not registered with the HPCSA?
If the doctor who issued the medical certificate is not registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa, this medical certificate is not valid and will not be accepted by your employer or company. Therefore, to avoid delays in the submission of medical certificates, you must ensure that the doctor who issues and signs the medical certificate is actually registered with the HPCSA.
Conclusion
To avoid abuse of sick leave, you must obtain a valid medical certificate from a registered medical practitioner. You can obtain the medical certificate online or visit the doctor with an appointment. If employees are too sick to work, they should submit a valid medical certificate to prove it.