Pretoria - The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) has distanced itself from fake advertisements currently circulating on social media, offering non-existent jobs within the metro police service.
“Criminals have taken advantage and robbed young people of money ranging between R2 000 and R7 000 per person for fake jobs. Some of the scammers have been arrested for selling fake JMPD jobs,” said spokesperson Xolani Fihla.
“JMPD jobs are not for sale, and we want to reiterate that no one is required to pay any sum of money for JMPD vacancies. Once a successful candidate has met all the requirements and (is) accepted for training at the JMPD Academy, they will receive a monthly stipend.”
Fihla emphasised that selling fake jobs is illegal, and anyone who is caught selling jobs “will face the full might of the law, and will be criminally charged”.
He said the JMPD encourages community members to report scammers at law enforcement agencies.
“There are currently no vacancies in the JMPD. Genuine adverts will be placed in daily newspapers and the City of Johannesburg's website only, not on social media platforms by dodgy individuals,” said Fihla.
On Monday, the Chief of the South African Army, Lieutenant General Lawrence Khulekani Mbatha, expressed outrage over the rampant job scams being posted online, purported to be employment opportunities for people as young as 15 to join the military.
Mbatha said the fake job alerts are deceitful efforts by “faceless criminals” seeking to bring the South African Army into disrepute.
“The recent use of various social media platforms targeting youths as young as 15 years is absolutely unethical, incorrect, and should be condemned by all law-abiding citizens of our country,” said Mbatha.
“Neither the SA Army nor the SANDF (South African National Defence Force) engages in the employment of child soldiers. The Constitution of the country and the relevant legal prescripts governing employment do not allow for the recruitment of minors. It is therefore illegal and unethical to suggest that the SA Army is calling for minors to apply for employment.”
He highlighted that the SANDF is currently not hiring.
“The South African Army and the SANDF wishes to reiterate, categorically, that there is currently no official marketing and recruitment drives being conducted.”
Mbatha had a warning for the scammers: “The SA Army will cooperate with the relevant law enforcement agencies to track, trace and bring to book the perpetrators of these atrocious criminal acts”.
IOL