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Scam! South African prisons department not advertising jobs, learnerships on Facebook

A Facebook post is offering 3,500 learnerships and jobs “for unemployed people” at South Africa’s correctional services department.

It includes links to where “applications forms are available for free”, and asks users to comment “Help” on the post for further details. It also asks readers to share the post. 

The post shows a photo of a woman who appears to be wearing a uniform withSouth African prisons department not advertising jobs the South African coat of arms

The department of correctional services (DCS) manages South Africa’s prison system. A learnership is an apprenticeship recognised by the South African Qualifications Authority.

But is the DCS really offering 3,500 learnerships and jobs to the unemployed? We investigated.



Photo used in other suspect job listings


A reverse image search shows that the photo in the post has been used across social media in South Africa in other suspicious-looking job adverts. 

We could not immediately trace the photo’s origins.

‘It’s a scam’


Africa Check spoke to Millicent Sebola from the DCS employee relations department. She had no knowledge of the job post on Facebook and said “it’s probably a scam”. 

“We don’t do anything on Facebook. All government jobs are put on the Department of Public Service and Administration’s website. The website is also updated every Friday, so if it’s not there then it’s not true.”

Africa Check searched job circulars on the department of public service website but could not find any learnerships or job posts that matched the Facebook post. – Butchie Seroto




 

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