The metro is warning the public to be aware of multiple types of scams that have been carrying on in its name for the past few months.
The metro has been inundated with complaints from unsuspecting victims who have been defrauded of their hard-earned cash.
To date more than 20 people have been defrauded of over R2-million through these scams.
The most popular scam by the scammers is one that is formulated around a fake tender for waste wheelie bins.
The perpetrators of this criminal act send possible service providers an appointment letter bearing the metro’s logo together with the fraudulently generated order number purported to come from the metro.
Service providers are then requested to deposit a certain amount of money and they are told to deliver the 260 litre wheelie bins to 47 van Buuren Road in Bedfordview.
In other scams, targeted victims are requested to participate in a tender for supply and delivery of electrical mobile metering devices for technicians.
Ratepayers are also targeted by being issued with fake letters of water supply termination due to alleged meter tampering and subsequently requested to pay a “spot fine” for reconnection or retention of services.
Grand-in-Aid applicants are requested to pay R2 500 to fast-track processing of their applications.
Job applicants have also been targeted to pay money for their applications to be processed.
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The metro is informing all Grand-in-Aid and job applicants that applications for Grand-in-Aid are handled and processed free of charge and all job vacancies and applications are done online through the metro’s website at www.ekurhuleni.gov.za.
The following pointers provided below may assist to differentiate scammers from legit communication by the municipality:
• The name of the metro is City of Ekurhuleni, not Ekurhuleni municipality.
• Landlines at the metro have the 999 prefix.
• The email address for staff is: persons’name.surname@ekurhuleni.gov.za and not XXX@ekurhuleni-gov.org or any other variation.
• The tender office of the metro is not situated at 47 van Buuren Road, Bedfordview.
The metro urges companies and individuals to be very vigilant and to verify information on its website (www.ekurhuleni.gov.za).
To confirm the authenticity of quotations or tenders, contact details are available on the metro’s website.
Bidders can contact Hannes.vSchalkwyk@ekurhuleni.gov.za or Siphokazi.Xokozela@ekurhuleni.gov.za.
Report fraud and corruption on 0800 102 201.
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Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor) germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za or Leigh Hodgson (News Editor) leighh@caxton.co.za or Kgotsofalang Mashilo (journalist) kgotsofalangm@caxton.co.za
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