Nobody can charge you to get you a job. Ever.

Under the Employment Services Act 4 of 2014, it is illegal for any person or agency in South Africa to charge a work seeker a fee for finding them work. Not a registration fee, not an admin fee, not a 'starter pack', not transport money upfront. Nothing.

If anyone — on Vonk or anywhere else — asks you to pay before you start work, it is a scam or a crime. Say no, keep the messages, and report it.

Real employers deduct nothing from your first pay either, apart from legal deductions like UIF that appear on a proper payslip.

They ask for money first — an 'admin fee', 'registration', 'training material' or 'uniform deposit'.

They promise unusually high pay for easy work, no interview needed.

They push you to WhatsApp quickly and avoid meeting at a real workplace.

They ask for your banking details, PIN, OTP or a photo of your ID before you have even met.

The 'company' has no address, no landline, and only a Gmail or Outlook address.

They create urgency: 'only two positions left, pay today to secure yours'.

Agree the price, hours and the exact work in the Vonk chat before you go anywhere.

First meeting: a public place, in daylight. A gate, a café, a shop — not a quiet side street.

Tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back.

Never hand over cash 'for materials' — the person hiring you buys what the job needs.

You can say no and leave at any point. A genuine hirer will understand.

An employer only needs your ID after you are hired, for your employment record — not to 'apply'.

Never send your full ID copy, bank statement or SARS document to someone you have not met.

Certificates and references are fine to share once you are talking to a real employer. Documents are stored temporarily in protected Vonk storage until they are collected once or expire after 24 hours. They are then removed, subject to limited backup, security, and legal retention requirements described in the Privacy Policy.

If someone insists on your ID upfront, stop the conversation and report them.

ID verification for gig workers is a separate trust check, not a requirement to browse or express interest. A verified badge will only appear after Vonk has reviewed the required identity evidence. Do not send an ID copy through a listing or chat. [PLACEHOLDER — confirm the approved verification provider or manual process, which ID fields are checked, whether an ID image is retained, where it is processed, and the deletion period before accepting ID documents.]

An ID-verified badge confirms only that the stated identity passed Vonk's check. It does not guarantee skills, conduct, safety, or the outcome of a gig.

Employers and agencies on Vonk can request verification. Our team checks their registration details and stated terms before the green badge appears.

A badge means we checked — it is still not a guarantee. The rules above always apply, badge or not.

Agencies must publish their terms: who pays them, and what for. If the terms are missing or vague, treat the listing with care.

Every listing and every chat has a report option. A real person reads every report — usually within one working day.

Report even if you are not sure. Scammers depend on people staying quiet.

If you already paid someone, open a case with the police (SAPS) and keep every message, slip and phone number. Then report it here so we can block them.