Jobseekers hoping to land teaching posts in the Western Cape are being warned not to hand over money after scammers revived a scheme that falsely promises permanent employment, ***Cape {town} Etc ***reports.
According to the Western Cape Education Department (WCED), several schools have recently reported WhatsApp messages targeting teachers, particularly newly qualified, unemployed and substitute educators.
The messages are reportedly designed to look convincing. Scammers allegedly pose as school principals or WCED district officials, sometimes using the real person’s name and photograph, and tell the recipient that a permanent teaching position has opened at a specific school.
The teacher is then told they have been selected as the preferred candidate and is given instructions about where to report and which documents to bring.
The catch comes later: the supposed appointment is made conditional on a once-off payment, with scammers requesting about R2 800 for what they describe as the ‘authorisation of an appointment letter’.
According to the WCED, the scam was first brought to its attention last year, prompting the department to issue a public warning in December 2025. The latest reports suggest the fraud has not disappeared. In some cases, victims have reportedly arrived at schools after paying the so-called fee, only to discover that the teaching position does not exist.
The consequences go beyond losing money. For an unemployed teacher who has spent years qualifying for a career in education, a message promising a permanent post can represent a major opportunity, making the deception particularly damaging. WCED spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said the department has never required payment for an appointment.
‘The WCED (including Head Office, District Offices, and Schools) will never request payment for job applications or appointments.’
– Bronagh Hammond, WCED spokesperson.
The department also warned that impersonating real principals and officials can create reputational problems for schools and staff members who have nothing to do with the scam.
The WCED says it advertises permanent teaching vacancies through its Directorate: Recruitment and Selection, with applications handled through the department’s official online E-Recruitment System. This means an unsolicited WhatsApp message telling someone they have effectively secured a permanent post, followed by a demand for money, should immediately raise alarm bells.
Teachers should also be cautious when a message directs them to contact an official using a telephone number supplied by the sender rather than through verified departmental channels.
The use of photographs, names, official-sounding language or detailed instructions does not make the offer legitimate. Scammers can use publicly available information to make fraudulent messages appear authentic.
Temporary teaching appointments work differently, with schools managing these appointments directly. The WCED says applicants should therefore verify the legitimacy of any temporary vacancy before providing personal information or accepting an appointment.
‘We want to be absolutely clear: the Western Cape Education Department never charges any fee for job applications, appointments or appointment letters. All permanent teaching posts are advertised through our official recruitment processes, and any request for payment should be treated as a scam.’
– Bronagh Hammond, WCED spokesperson.
The department says affected individuals should report suspected scams to the South African Police Service (SAPS) and notify the WCED. The warning is particularly important for unemployed educators who may be actively applying for work and could reasonably expect contact from schools or education officials.
The safest approach is simple: never pay to secure a WCED teaching appointment.
According to the Western Cape Department of Education, no payment is required for any appointment within the department. For jobseekers, that distinction could prevent both financial loss and the disappointment of turning up at a school expecting to start a new chapter, only to discover that the job was never real in the first place.
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The post WCED warns teachers as fake job scam makes a comeback appeared first on Cape Town ETC.
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