The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has issued an urgent warning to new, unemployed and substitute teachers after a concerning scam surfaced, falsely offering candidates permanent teaching positions in exchange for payment.
According to WCED spokesperson Bronagh Hammond, several schools have reported incidents in recent weeks involving fraudulent WhatsApp messages sent to young educators. The messages claim to be from district officials or school principals and inform recipients that they are the “preferred candidate” for a permanent post, an opportunity many hopeful teachers are eager to secure.
The scam goes further by instructing the educator to arrive at a school with specific documentation before demanding a once-off payment of around R2 800 to allegedly “authorise an appointment letter” at district offices. The WhatsApp messages even include banking details to make the request seem legitimate.
Hammond confirmed that some teachers have already been deceived, paying the requested fee and arriving at the school listed, only to discover that neither the vacancy nor the appointment exists.
“This deception has caused significant distress to the affected individuals and has the potential to damage the reputations of schools, principals, and district officials who are being impersonated,” she said.
WCED: No Payment Required, Ever
The department is urging educators and the public to remain vigilant and remember the following critical points:
-Permanent teaching vacancies are only advertised through the WCED Directorate: Recruitment and Selection.
-No payment is ever required to apply for, secure or finalise any post within the WCED.
-The WCED’s official E-Recruitment System is the only platform for applying for posts.
-Unemployed teachers must register and apply via this online system.
-Temporary appointments are handled directly by schools, applicants should verify legitimacy before proceeding.
-Any suspicious approach or request for payment must be immediately reported to the WCED and SAPS.
-As investigations continue, the department is calling on educators to share this warning widely so that no further teachers fall prey to the scheme.
VOC News
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