Rustenburg – The Premier of the North West province on Thursday issued a warning for young people in the Rustenburg and Mahikeng areas to be wary of a scam targeting youth desperate for employment.
According to the office of Premier Supra Mahumapelo, a woman claiming to have been appointed by the Premier's Office through its Youth Entrepreneurship Unit and the Provincial Department of Education and Sports Development, was going around collect Curricula Vitae (CVs) of unemployed youth, who are then promised to be linked to local mines for training and skills development.
However, the woman, whose identity is known to the Office of the Premier, and a team of her accomplices then ask for people to R20 before their CVs can be submitted.
Provincial spokesperson, Brian Setswambung, said: "We are not only concerned about misrepresentation of the image of the provincial government and, in particular the Office of the Premier, but we are mostly disturbed by the extent to which the name of Premier Mahumapelo is being misused in scamming the victims, and taking advantage of the vulnerable youth in our villages by creating false hopes."
Setswambung said that the provincial government forcefully distanced itself from the scam.
The scam was exposed by the Ledig village traditional authority outside Rustenburg and the local councilors, who after initially also being made to believe that the scammer was consistently in touch with and updating the Premier, finally realised the truth.
"The provincial government will under no circumstances appoint service providers who in the cause of delivering the work appointed to do, will solicit money from members of the public, employed or not employed, rich or poor," Setswambung added.
Setswambung advised anyone in doubt to contact the 24-hour toll-free Setsokotsane Operation Centre on 0800 111 700 to seek information and guidance.