KZN Labour Dept warns of conman
2008-02-20 20:28
Durban - A confidence trickster posing as a labour inspector was trying to defraud businesses in KwaZulu-Natal, the Labour Department said on Wednesday.
Spokesperson Zolisa Sigabi said the conman would pose as a Labour Department inspector and would then extort money out of employers.
The conman would offer to help the businesses with labour problems, without the need for reporting to the department, in return for large sums of money.
Two employers in the Tongaat area had complained about the man - described as elderly, bearded and who called himself "Mister Ngcobo".
The employers said other shop owners also had fallen prey to the conman who was especially threatening to female employers.
Every inspector carried an identification card with his or her photo and the departmental logo, Sigabi said.
If employers found an inspector's activities suspicious they could verify the inspector's credentials by phoning the Labour Centre on 032 533 5050, said Sigabi.
- SAPA