Desperate job seekers are swindled, yet Gauteng Safety Department fails to fill vacant posts

Desperate job seekers have once again fallen prey to corrupt police officials who promised them job placements in exchange for money while the Gauteng Department of Community Safety sits on 279 vacant posts.

This is extremely worrying considering that the unemployment rate has increased in the province. Our people are struggling to put food on the table and have once again been let down by this department as filling these vacant posts will go a long way in alleviating poverty.

As of March 2022, the department had a staff establishment of 1761 while the headcount was 1725. This means that only 1482 posts were filled, leaving 279 vacant posts which translates to 15.8% of vacancies available. This information was revealed in the department’s fourth quarterly report for the 2021/2022 financial year.

Recent media reports have indicated that there are unemployed youth that have been made to pay about R5000 to corrupt police officials in exchange for job placements at the Gauteng SAPS Training College.

These allegations are serious, and the consequence management must take place as a matter of urgency.

It is high time that the Gauteng MEC of Community Safety, Faith Mazibuko clamps down on corruption within her department. The DA will be directly engaging with the MEC to ascertain if there is a plan of action to deal with such acts of corruption. We will also monitor every development on this issue and demand that MEC Mazibuko prioritises the filling of these vacancies.

We will not stand by as Gauteng job seekers are being taken advantage of by those in positions of power.