IN SHORT: A Facebook page lists dozens of employment opportunities across South Africa. But it’s not authorised to advertise the jobs and job seekers should be careful of job scams which may be attempting to steal personal information.
The Facebook page Jobs Updates has advertised many job vacancies in South Africa since it was set up in January 2022. They range from opportunities in national and local government departments to positions at international companies and franchises.
The posts all link to more detailed listings on the blog workrsa.co.za. And they all look like legitimate job ads. But after an 18 August post saying “KFC is still hiring part time/full time crew” caught Africa Check’s attention, we decided to have a closer look.
No more info available from contact details
Like most of the other posts on the page, the KFC job ad redirects to a more detailed listing and also asks those interested to “Send Message now And follow our instructions we'll help you”. It gives a South African phone number to WhatsApp for “more information”.
We texted the number and asked: “Are you authorised by the companies whose jobs you advertise?”
At time of writing we had received no reply. The only message we received was a link to the same blog to “apply for registry clerk” – although we’d messaged in response to an ad for “cashiers and general workers” at fast-food chain KFC.
Apply for KFC jobs directly at restaurants
The KFC listing on workrsa.co.za does not give many details about the potential jobs but says “Fill the form on the KFC website to apply”. But we couldn’t find any such form on KFC’s South African website.
Under “frequently asked questions”, the fast-food company tells anyone interested in a job at one of their restaurants: “Please pop past your closest store and speak to the manager about any positions that may be available! Good Luck!”
Under the question “How do I apply for a job?” KFC’s advice is the same: “Visit your nearest KFC restaurant reach to see if they ready to open the gates for you.” There’s no mention of any online form.
Be wary of Facebook job scams
All of the listings on the blog include the instruction “Do not forget to register your cv on our database here REGISTER”. But the link doesn’t go to a “database” – instead it simply redirects back to the blog’s main page.
This type of anomaly – that an instruction is given which can’t be completed – is another red flag that the Facebook page is not authorised to advertise the jobs it does and may be doing so under false pretences.
While the job ads may have been copied from legitimate listings, some of the details are either wrong or missing, making it difficult, if not impossible, to apply for the actual job. The ads also don’t always include closing dates for applications, which is crucial to know when job hunting.
This page may be attempting to extract personal information from desperate job seekers. For more information about how to avoid Facebook job scams, read our guide here. We’ve also looked closely at the problem of false job advertising in South Africa here.
KFC is not advertising any specific vacancies through Facebook or on its own website. And be cautious of any jobs listed on Jobs Updates or the blog workrsa.co.za – the page is not authorised to advertise them.
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