Makause informal settlement residents Saphokazi and Nomvula Maqala are urging domestic workers to be on high alert.<\/p>\n
This comes after Saphokazi advertised in the GCN that she is looking for domestic employment.<\/p>
A week later she received a call from a man regarding her advert.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy sister doesn\u2019t have a phone so she put down my numbers in the advert and I received a call from a man who refused to mention his name,\u201d said Nomvula.<\/p>
\u201cThe man said he is from the Edenvale Hospital and if my sister wants a job at the hospital she must deposit R450 using the money market system.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nomvula said the man alleged that the money would be used to pay for a uniform and that it was urgently needed before 1pm that day.<\/p>\n
\u201cI told the man that I don\u2019t understand why one has to deposit money when looking for a job. I also told him that we don\u2019t have the money needed,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI found it strange and spoke to my sister about it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Saphokazi said she was also shocked that you would have to pay in order to get employment at a public hospital.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile my sister and I were discussing the next step to take, the man called again asking if we had deposited the money yet,\u201d said Saphokazi.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I told him we hadn\u2019t he passed the phone to another man who also said the money was a matter of urgency.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe further instructed me to inform him once I had deposited the money and to travel to the Edenvale Hospital after the deposit had been made.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nomvula said they were sceptical about depositing the money until the second man involved the GCN\u2019s receptionist.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe man told my sister that the receptionist at the newspaper is his wife,\u201d said Nomvula.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis convinced us to go borrow money from our neighbour as we didn\u2019t have it.<\/p>\n
\u201cBefore our neighbour gave us money she advised that we first go and confirm the information with the receptionist as there are a lot of scams going on.\u201d<\/p>\n
The two siblings didn\u2019t hesitate to make their way to the GCN offices, where they discovered that the receptionist had no knowledge of who the two men were.<\/p>\n
The receptionist called the two men in an effort to get answers and clarification but as soon as they were asked questions they put down the phone and never answered the phone after that.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were shocked and disappointed to see how far people are willing to go to defraud job seekers,\u201d said Saphokazi.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat would have happened had we deposited the money?<\/p>\n
\u201cAlthough we never deposited the money, we just ask ourselves how many people fall prey to such cruel people.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nomvula said all job seekers should be careful and check their facts before following instructions from people they don\u2019t know.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want our experience to be an eye-opener to others out there,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou must know that something is wrong when a random person demands money in order for you to get a job.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is also inappropriate that they are involving the newspaper\u2019s name and employees in their sick scams.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease be careful. And if you are going to meet your potential employer, please don\u2019t go alone. Take a friend or family member with you, and put your safety first.\u201d<\/p>\n
The GCN is not affiliated to these men, nor has the newspaper ever had dealings with them and strongly warns the public not to fall for their scheme.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Also read:<\/strong><\/p>\n Youth desk encourages community to be safe this Easter<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Have a story?<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor)\u00a0<\/span>germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span>, Leigh Hodgson (journalist)\u00a0<\/span>leighh@caxton.co.za<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>or Puleng Sekabate\u00a0<\/span>pulengs@caxton.co.za<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span>. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Remember to visit the Germiston City News on the following social media platforms:<\/span><\/p>\n Facebook<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Twitter<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Instagram<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n YouTube\u00a0<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Or add the GCN on\u00a0<\/b><\/span>WhatsApp 079 406 1181<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>or\u00a0BBM (BBM Pin: 7F102137)<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0<\/b><\/span>today, to get all the latest news.<\/span><\/p>\n Catch-up on more local news with our sister newspapers\u00a0<\/span>Bedfordview Edenvale News<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>Alberton Record<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0<\/span>Kempton Express<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n