The South African government has issued a warning to young women about fraudulent job offers circulating on social media, allegedly promoting employment opportunities in Russia.
The Ministry in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities confirmed on Tuesday that these offers are not endorsed by the government and may be linked to human trafficking networks exploiting high youth unemployment.
“Although we recognise that South Africa faces unacceptably high youth unemployment, especially among young women, this harsh reality must never be exploited through false job offers,” the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry’s alert follows a recent spike in deceptive online recruitment schemes targeting women aged 18 to 22.
These scams, often disguised as legitimate international work opportunities, have raised concerns about the safety and vulnerability of South Africa’s youth.
The ministry announced that all legitimate overseas employment is arranged through formal diplomatic channels and bilateral agreements.
It called on young people to verify any international job or study offers through the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), foreign embassies, the Department of Employment and Labour, or the South African Police Service.
The ministry also announced plans to engage with DIRCO, the Russian embassy and the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance to investigate the nature of these offers and provide clarity to the public.
JN/APA