South Africa's TikTok sensation "doctor" Mathew Lani is off the hook for now.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has dropped charges that were opened prematurely against the fake doctor saying there was not enough evidence to warrant prosecuting him.

Lani became an overnight sensation to 300,000 of fans for dishing out free medical advice on the video sharing platform.

Although he was accused of impersonating a doctor and even accused of selling medication online, there is no official complaint from any hospital where he shot his videos and none of his fans have complained about misleading advice.

Looking the part as a doctor and fully clad in a surgical mask and a stethoscope, Lani was arrested on Sunday while trying to enter a public hospital.

On Tuesday, NPA spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said they will need more evidence to prove a charge of impersonating a doctor before deciding "whether or not criminal proceedings should be instituted against the suspect".

The Department of Health in Gauteng said Lani recorded most of his videos by illegally entering Helen Joseph Hospital which constitutes a crime.

His lawyer Dumisani Mabunda successfully argued that Lani's work was just for entertainment and was not meant for personal enrichment or impugning the health profession in South Africa.

He said Lani could be compared to an actor in a movie, pretending to be a doctor in that scenario is not illegal.

"There is no complainant here that says he actually consulted as a doctor... so as a result there is no case against him."

Before his arrest, there was a media frenzy that lasted for two weeks where his credentials and qualifications were being questioned.

He claimed he had completed a degree in medicine at Wits University and later claimed to be Sanele Zingelwa, an intern at Tembisa Provincial Tertiary Hospital.

The real Dr Zingelwa has opened a separate case of impersonation against Lani.