How to check if a sick note is genuine in South Africa

By PRACPROOF (PTY) LTD · July 2026

Sick notes are one of the most common flashpoints between employees and employers in South Africa — and forged or altered certificates are a real problem. If you handle leave in any workplace, sooner or later a certificate will land on your desk that doesn't look right. This guide covers what a valid certificate should contain, practice checks, and what a signed QR summary can help you compare.

The starting point is the Basic Conditions of Employment Act. Section 23 allows an employer to require a medical certificate before paying sick leave when an employee has been absent for more than two consecutive days, or on more than two occasions in an eight-week period. The certificate must state that the employee was unable to work for the duration of the absence, and it must be issued and signed by a medical practitioner or another person certified to diagnose and treat patients who is registered with a professional council.

While formats differ between practices, a credible South African medical certificate consistently shows: the practitioner's full name and qualifications; the practice's contact details and practice number; the date of the consultation; the period the patient is unfit for work; and the practitioner's signature. Vague documents — an illegible squiggle over a rubber stamp with no practice details — are exactly the kind that employers are routinely advised to question rather than accept at face value.

The long-standing verification method is to contact the issuing practice directly. The receptionist cannot discuss the patient's condition — that is confidential — but the practice can confirm whether the certificate was genuinely issued by them, on that date, for that person. This works, but it has obvious limits: it depends on office hours, the practice keeping searchable records, and the phone number on the certificate actually belonging to the practice (a forged note can carry a forged number that rings an accomplice).

PracProof attaches a QR code containing a digitally signed summary when a document is issued. The signature check detects a change to that signed payload. Changing a date on the paper or PDF alone does not change the QR: the recipient must compare the displayed dates and other summary fields with the document.

Scan the certificate's QR or paste its verification link at pracproof.co.za/verify. The check is free, needs no account and runs on your device. It displays the signed patient name, prescriber details, dates and document summary for comparison. It does not scan every word or image of the document, independently prove the prescriber's identity or current registration, or establish that a consultation took place. Use independent practice checks where needed.

Treat it as a disciplinary matter, not a shouting match. Document what you found, give the employee an opportunity to respond, and follow your workplace's misconduct procedure — presenting a forged medical certificate is a serious offence that South African courts have upheld dismissals for. If the certificate was legitimately issued but you doubt the clinical judgement behind it, that is a different conversation, and one your occupational-health adviser should lead.