SA Youth faces scandal as fraudsters exploit platform, affecting job seekers

The SA Youth programme is one of various initiatives the state has implemented to reduce unemployment, especially among South African youth.

Amidst South Africa’s highest unemployment rate, the SA Youth programme was launched by the government in June 2021 to help young people find jobs and receive training, with support from various organisations and businesses.

The programme has positively impacted South Africa's youth by providing job opportunities.

However, its success has been marred by scammers infiltrating the platform.

Recently, serious allegations have surfaced, claiming that the SA Youth website is filled with illegitimate marketing businesses.

Applicants on the SA Youth mobi website have reported receiving suspicious messages, indicating they have been shortlisted for interviews.

These messages are often unprofessional, containing spelling errors, abbreviations, unknown numbers, and dubious locations.

The fraudulent businesses are based mainly in Johannesburg, Pretoria Central, and Benoni.

This issue has gained significant attention on social media, with many people sharing their experiences.

Some individuals have reported receiving numerous interview messages, while others have shared that their loved ones went missing or were robbed after attending these scam interviews.

Kelebogile Makamu, an unemployed graduate from Pretoria, expressed how this situation has demoralised her job search efforts.

“I was very excited when I got multiple feedbacks from these different marketing agencies. I thought everything was coming together.

I was very disappointed to discover that they are all not legit after doing research about them. I would never advise anyone to apply through SA Youth Mobi,” she said.

SA Youth has acknowledged these issues on its social media platforms and apologised for the situation.

“We are deeply concerned about the recent allegations circulating on social media regarding potential scams and criminal activity in connection to Field Marketing roles on the SA Youth platform,” the organisation stated.

It also defended its practices, claiming it thoroughly verify businesses before partnering with them.

The organisation emphasised its commitment to addressing these concerns and improving the safety and reliability of its platform.