South Africans Charged with Illegal Kidney Transplants

Johannesburg, Sep 17. -Five South African doctors were accused of providing rich Israelis with illegal transplants of kidneys bought from Brazilians and Romanians, according to local press reports on Thursday.

Lawsuits were also filed against Richard Friedland, head of the main private hospital of the Netcare group, and Durban's St. Augustine Hospital, where 109 illegal surgeries were performed between 2001 and 2003, according to The Star newspaper.

Meanwhile, The Times reported the kidneys were initially bought from Israelis, but then Romanians and Brazilians were recruited because their organs were cheaper.

Israelis were paid nearly US$20,000 for their kidneys, but Brazilians and Rumanians an average of US$6,000, it was revealed. (Prensa Latina)