South Africa’s unemployment rate of 31,9% is fertile ground for scammers to dupe the public with promises of job offers in return for a fee.
No person may charge a fee to any work seeker for providing employment to that work seeker, stated the Department of Employment and Labour, saying this is according to the Employment Services (ES) Act.
The department has noted with concern a number of scams that keep on popping up periodically, promising the unemployed jobs.
Work seekers are advised not to deposit any fees whatsoever and share their contact and personal information – thus compromising their security.
The department, through the Public Employment Services branch as a custodian of the ES Act, must provide the following public employment services free of charge to members of the public in a manner that is open and accessible:
- matching work seekers with available work opportunities;
- registering work seekers;
- registering job vacancies and other work opportunities;
- facilitating the placing of work seekers with employers or in other work opportunities;
- advising work seekers on access to education and training;
- advising workers on access to social security benefits;
- providing specialised services to assist vulnerable work seekers;
- facilitating the exchange of information among labour market participants, including employers, workers and work seekers, private employment agencies, sector education and training authorities and training providers;
- facilitating the employment of foreign nationals in a manner that is consistent with the object of this act and the Immigration Act; and
- generally, performing any other function in terms of employment law or prescribed in terms of this act.
As soon as you are asked to pay anything towards recruitment and related employment services, know that this is likely to be a scam.
If someone or an organisation requests you to pay fees, report them to the department.
