You receive a WhatsApp message forwarded from a community group: "EPWP is registering workers for 2026. Send your ID and R150 registration fee to secure your spot." The message includes a reference number and what looks like an official government logo.
EPWP jobs are real government positions that have helped thousands of South Africans earn an income. If someone you trust forwarded the message, it feels even more credible. You'd be right to want it to be true.
But EPWP never charges registration fees, and it does not recruit through WhatsApp. That message is a scam built to exploit one of South Africa's most trusted public works programmes.
How These Scams Work
Scammers target EPWP and municipal hiring because these programmes are well-known and genuinely help people. That built-in trust makes the fakes more believable than a random company name you have never heard of.
Fake EPWP registration portals. Scammers create WhatsApp groups or Facebook pages claiming to be official EPWP registration points. They charge R100 to R300 to "place you on the database." There is no national EPWP registration database that you can pay to join. It does not exist. The money goes straight to the scammer.
Fake municipal hiring posts. Posts pop up on Facebook and WhatsApp announcing that a specific municipality is hiring cleaners, drivers, or general workers. The posts include a phone number to call or a WhatsApp number to message. Those numbers belong to scammers, not to any municipal HR department.
Ward councillor impersonation. Some scammers claim to be ward councillors or people connected to local government. They say they can "put your name on the list" for EPWP positions if you pay them. Real ward councillors do play a role in community recruitment, but they never charge money for it.
Fake tender worker recruitment. These scams advertise positions on "government tender projects" and tell you to pay upfront for equipment, PPE, or "project registration." A real employer on a government tender provides equipment to workers. They do not ask you to buy your own before you start.
Several municipalities have already warned the public about these scams. The City of Cape Town flagged WhatsApp messages claiming the city was hiring general workers, with applicants directed to pay fees. eThekwini Municipality issued alerts about fake posts using the municipality's logo. The City of Johannesburg cautioned residents about fake recruitment messages circulating on social media.
Red Flags to Watch For
- Any payment requested for EPWP registration or placement
- Recruitment via WhatsApp, Telegram, or a Facebook group instead of through your local municipal office
- A website calling itself an "EPWP registration portal" (these do not exist)
- Someone claiming to have connections that can get you on "the list"
- Municipal jobs advertised only in random Facebook groups rather than on the municipality's own website
- Promises of permanent employment through EPWP (EPWP positions are always temporary)
- Being asked to pay for PPE or equipment before starting work
What the Real EPWP Process Looks Like
EPWP is a government programme run by the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure. It creates temporary work in infrastructure, environment, social services, and the non-state sector. National departments, provincial governments, and municipalities all run EPWP projects.
Recruitment happens through local community structures. Your ward councillor, community development workers, or your local municipal office will announce opportunities through community meetings, notices at municipal buildings, or door-to-door outreach in the targeted area. Workers are selected from the local community, with priority often going to the most vulnerable households.
EPWP workers receive a daily or monthly stipend, not a salary. Positions are temporary, usually lasting a few months. The work includes things like road maintenance, park cleaning, and community care. The critical point: EPWP is completely free. There are no registration costs, no processing charges, no database fees. If someone asks you for money, they are not from EPWP.
How to Verify an EPWP or Municipal Job Opportunity
- Find your ward councillor through your municipality's official website and contact them directly. Do not use the phone number in the post you saw.
- Visit your municipal office in person. Go to the HR or community services department and ask about current EPWP or hiring opportunities.
- Check your municipality's official website. Legitimate vacancies are listed on the careers page.
- Call the municipality using the number from their official website, not from a social media post.
- For national and provincial government positions, check dpsa.gov.za.
If You've Already Paid or Shared Your Information
These scams work because EPWP is a real programme that real people depend on. The scammers designed this to catch people who genuinely need work. You are not to blame for being targeted.
- Stop all contact with the person or group that asked for money. Do not send any further payments, even if they say the first one "didn't go through."
- If you paid money, contact your bank's fraud line immediately. Bring the proof of payment, the phone number you sent money to, and any screenshots of the conversation.
- Report the scam to SAPS. You can visit your nearest police station or email cybercrime@saps.gov.za.
- If you shared your ID number or other personal details, register with the Southern African Fraud Prevention Service (SAFPS) to protect yourself against identity theft.
- Report the WhatsApp number or Facebook page so the platform can take it down before more people are affected.
Full step-by-step reporting guide
Related Guides
- Official Government Job Channels
- How SAPS Actually Recruits
- WhatsApp Job Scams
- How to Report a Job Scam
Help protect others. Report the scam and we'll add it to our database.