ZWELITSHA – The South African Police Management is issuing a warning to all people who have applied for entry level employment posts in the police, to exercise vigilance against bogus police who are out to rob unsuspecting communities of their monies.

The warning follows after the police received a complaint from the member of the public in the area of Tabankulu on the 28th September 2019, who claimed to have received a call from a bogus police officer. According to the complainants, the bogus Captain demanded a sum of R2500 from both the parents and unemployed prospective police trainees in exchange for employment in the police. It is believed that some of the victims of this scam have already paid this money through transfers in the local shopping centres.

Similar incidents according to some of the complainants have already been witnessed in areas such as East London. The Police are investigating these reports. Meanwhile, the SAPS wishes to put the record straight regarding its standpoint on the police trainees’ recruitment drive. Indeed, the SAPS has just issued an advertisement for entry level post in the police. This announcement has been made through credible and recognised official communication platforms which include advertisement in the Newspapers and Social Media respectively. A clearly defined criteria, as well as official’s contact numbers are indicated in the advertisement for possible enquiries by prospective applicants.

The SAPS’s official advertisement for entry level posts does not provide for any payment of money by an applicant, nor does it reflect any name of a person or a police officer to be responsible for the collection of money or anything in exchange for employment in the police service. Both nationally and provincially, the SAPS does not have a policy, instruction or circular regulating the collection of monies for this particular purpose.

Any person who claims to have received authority from the SAPS to collect monies from people with a false promise to secure employment for them, such a faceless individual is not from the police and is not representing the department. Applicants and Parents must refuse to be subjected to this kind of scam, and report the matter immediately to the nearest police station. Police employment is not for sale. People have a right to apply for work in the South African Police Service free of charge.

Source: South African Police Service