In honour of International Fraud Awareness Week, the City of Cape Town has launched a series of initiatives aimed at educating residents on fraud prevention and encouraging them to report suspicious activities, Cape {town} Etc reports.
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Yesterday, the City’s Ethics and Forensic Services Department hosted a public outreach session at the Cape Town Civic Centre, highlighting its services and collaboration with external anti-fraud and corruption stakeholders.
Councillor Siseko Mbandezi, ,ayoral committee member for Finance, emphasised the importance of public participation in combating fraud. ‘We’re asking our residents to be fraud fighters. With their help, it enables us to be more proactive in our efforts to fight fraud and corruption as an organisation, but it also protects members of the public in a world where what is real and not real is increasingly difficult to discern,’ said Mbandezi.
The City has adopted a proactive approach to tackling fraud and corruption within its operations. According to Mbandezi, the municipality often alerts law enforcement and prosecuting authorities to suspected incidents involving public funds and supports investigations led by these agencies.
One of the key tools in this effort is the City’s dedicated Fraud Hotline, 0800 32 31 30, which allows residents to anonymously report alleged wrongdoing. ‘It remains vital that residents always phone the City’s fraud hotline or call centre to fact-check anyone alleging to offer City or government services, or claiming to be employed by the City,’ added Mbandezi.
The outreach also shed light on common scams targeting Cape Town residents, such as fraudulent electricity purchases, impersonation of City officials, and fake offers of City housing opportunities. Mbandezi expressed concern over how these schemes often exploit financially vulnerable individuals, particularly pensioners. ‘Victims of fraud are often already financially vulnerable. Sadly, the money lost to these fraudsters is never recouped.’
The City encouraged residents to remain vigilant and use its fraud hotline to report incidents. When submitting information, the public is advised to include key details such as the identities involved, nature of the incident, location, timing, method, and estimated monetary value.
As part of its commitment to transparency and ethical governance, the City aims to foster a community-driven approach to fraud prevention. ‘The old saying that if it looks too good to be true, it probably is, remains very relevant even in our rapidly changing world,’ concluded Mbandezi.
Residents are urged to become ‘fraud fighters’ and contribute to a safer, more accountable community. For more information or to report fraud, call the City’s Fraud Hotline at 0800 32 31 30.
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Picture: City of Cape Town
