The Health Professions Council of South Africa has revealed it will launch its own probe into allegations that a Johannesburg doctor, who was only recently suspended, raped a patient.

The incident is alleged to have happened at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital’s Rape Centre in December last year.

The HPCSA’S Bertha Peters-Scheepers said: “We will most certainly investigate the said practitioner. We do proactively investigate complaints which land on our table as well as any media reports about potential or alleged unprofessional conduct.”

The doctor was also accused of raping a patient in 2007 but the case against him was never finalised.