At least two people have reported cases of fraud, after being asked to pay for employment.
The Herald recently published an article where Witrand Hospital warned job seekers about an employment scam that has been increasing at an alarming rate.
A 20-year-old woman from Extension 11 says she recently saw an advertisement for vacancies at Witrand Hospital on a Facebook page where job seekers were looking for employment.
She says she clicked on the link and applied for the post for a cleaner. Not long after she had applied, a man called her and gave her numbers to contact for more information about the position.
The victim called the numbers provided. She alleges that the man who answered the phone told her that the interviews for the shortlisted candidates had been held the day before. He reportedly suggested that she should pay R2,500 to secure a job, which she did in hopeful expectation.
She says he contacted her and said she should go to the reception area and tell them she had come for a medical check-up. He told her she would start work that day.
After that conversation, the man allegedly called her again and told her to pay R1,800 for her uniform. When she told her father, he became suspicious. She contacted someone at Witrand Hospital, who helped her contact the human resources department. The department informed her that the hospital was not hiring at the moment and warned that someone had been scamming people.
On the same day, she received another call from the man who had initially spoken to her. He allegedly said he had sent her R4,000 by mistake. He asked her to send R1,500, so she could get her R2,500 back but said she could only get the pin after she had sent the money.
The victim refused and reported the incident to the police.
“I don’t know what I am feeling. It stresses me and stresses my father too,” she said.
She advises job seekers to not pay for any employment opportunity.
According to Sgt Kelebogile Trom, a similar incident allegedly happened to a 35-year-old woman. She said she had seen an advertisement for employment at Witrand on Facebook.
On the ad, there was a cell phone number to contact. “She called the number and spoke to a man who said she must first pay R2,500, as that was the way they operated,” said Trom.
The woman allegedly deposited R1,500 into the account, but the man called again to say she had to pay the full amount.
“She sent another R1,000 and, a few days later, she deposited R1,050 for the uniform,” said Trom.
The suspects have not yet been arrested, but the investigations are continuing.
Koketso Diloane, the spokesperson for Witrand Hospital, says the last available posts were occupied in January 2020. Since then, no positions have been advertised.
He urges the public to be aware that a particular recruitment process is followed for vacant positions in the public service. “Vacant positions are advertised on different platforms – newspapers, departmental websites, official social media pages and on public notice boards,” he stated.
Applicants are then expected to fill in a Z83, the official application form for employment. Together with the Z83, one must attach a CV and certified copies of one’s ID, driver’s licence (where applicable) and all relevant attachments as indicated on the advert.
He urges community members not to fall victim to these scams as public service vacancies never involve any exchange of money.
