The office of the Premier of KwaZulu-Natal has warned people about a fake job advertisements on social media.
A statement from the KZN provincial government said that the KZN office of the Premier has noted the recent circulation of misleading job advertisements on social media and other platforms.
The fake job advertisements mirror the references and appearance of job adverts that were issued by the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government in August 2023 under the Sthesha Waya-Waya Provincial recruitment drive.
“Those advertisements have closed, and the recruitment processes have been concluded. They are not being re-advertised,” the KZN government said.
“All approved provincial government vacancies are advertised on the provincial government e-recruitment system or department’s websites.”
The office of the Premier said that the job adverts are not sanctioned by the KZN provincial government, calling them the work of unscrupulous and mischievous individuals that want to exploit honest South Africans who are seeking employment.
People are urged to exercise extreme caution and discernment when applying for any vacancies. The KZN provincial government strongly advises against engaging with such fraudulent adverts.
Legitimate government vacancies will be formally advertised through credible newspapers and the official KZN provincial government e-recruitment system, www.kznonline.gov.za/kznjobs.
Red flags of job scams
Carey van Vlaanderen, CEO, ESET Southern Africa said that an important aspect of a safe job hunt is recognising warning signs.
Here is a look at the warning signs of job scams:
– Upfront fees: Charging a person who is looking for a job, a fee in order to be placed in a job is prohibited, according to the Skills Development Act. Any upfront fees to be represented by a recruiter is also unlawful.
– Deceptive tactics: Job scams will replicate job descriptions from legitimate companies, use authentic company logos, and even pose as company recruiters or HR staff.
– Elaborate schemes: Scammers might create counterfeit websites or LinkedIn pages and mimic official company pages with the aim of attracting vulnerable job-seekers.
– Too good to be true: Offers which promise high rewards for minimal effort, vague job descriptions, or requests for payment to secure an interview are glaring red flags.
– Information: If a job offer or recruiter seems to evade direct questions or pressures you for personal information too early in the job process, it's a sign to proceed with caution.
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