The Durban cardiologist who reportedly told hospital authorities that Schabir Shaik should be discharged, also recommended last year that the convicted fraudster be considered for medical parole.

Professor DP Naidoo, the head of cardiology at the University of Kwa-Zulu-Natal's Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, co-authored a two-page report in September last year.

This is the latest development in the Shaik medical parole saga, which has involved contradictory reports about his state of health, and resulted in a Democratic Alliance complaint to the Health Professions Council of SA.

Naidoo, as well as the three specialists who recommended earlier this month that Shaik be paroled on medical grounds, now face investigation following the DA complaint.

"We will be investigating all the health practitioners involved," council spokeswoman Bertha Peters-Scheepers said.

The September 2008 medical report, in the possession of the Cape Times, refers to Shaik's then admission to the Inkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital's intensive care unit.

It details how the "ECG showed changes compatible with an acute myocardial injury pattern, which, if not acted upon urgently, may have led to a heart attack."

The report was also co-signed by Naidoo's colleague, Dr Sajidah Khan, and was addressed to a Mr Marais, head of the Medium B section at Westville Prison in Durban. Khan declined to comment yesterday.

Their report, while recommending medical parole, does not state that Shaik was in the "final phase of a terminal condition" - the only ground for such a release in terms of the law.

However, it states: "He has had a lengthy stay under specialist care, without effect. Currently, he is undergoing psychotherapy/counselling by the psychologist as a final resort to obtain some improvement in blood pressure control.

"We cannot keep him in hospital indefinitely and since the prison authorities are reluctant to manage him at the prison hospital, where conditions are suboptimal, we recommend that he be considered for medical parole."

The doctors state that "despite our best efforts, Mr Shaik's pressure remains refractory to medication".

"The target organ damage, including progression in the severity of organ damage, has been objectively documented. He remains at risk for a stroke, heart attack and blindness."

The Sunday Times reported at the weekend that Naidoo had discharged Shaik four months ago because he was considered well enough to leave. But Shaik had remained in the ward until his controversial medical parole last Tuesday.

"I was told it was beyond my control. It was in the hands of hospital management and Correctional Services," Naidoo was quoted as saying.

Contacted by the Cape Times about the apparent discrepancy between his September report and his Sunday Times comments, Naidoo said he had met hospital authorities yesterday, but he declined to comment and referred all queries to a hospital spokesperson.

Nhlanhla Nkosi, of the provincial Health Department, said Naidoo had been quoted out of context. He had not discharged Shaik because he was "well", but because he was not "getting better". Naidoo had then recommended that Shaik be considered for medical parole.

Nkosi said he had submitted the report to KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Peggy Nkonyeni, who would send it to the national minister, Barbara Hogan.

Questioned by reporters, Hogan would only say her office was in consultation with hospital authorities and was not yet in a position to comment.

Although Shaik's parole has not been referred to the National Council for Correctional Services for its Parole Review Board to review, the council will probably discuss the principles of the case at its meeting next month, council chairman Judge Siraj Desai said yesterday.

Only the Correctional Services Commissioner or the Minister of Correctional Services could refer cases and this had not been done.

The Discovery Health Medical Scheme confirmed yesterday that it had investigated Shaik's hospital admission when his lengthy hospitalisation was questioned, but found no evidence of fraud.