LUSIKISIKI – The South African Police Service (SAPS) has issued an urgent public warning regarding fraudulent social media job advertisements following the rape and robbery of four female job seekers in Lusikisiki, Eastern Cape.

The four victims, travelling from Addo, Lesotho, and Pietermaritzburg, fell prey to a fake Facebook employment scheme between April and May 2026.

The sophisticated modus operandi involves a female accomplice who contacts the victims via phone to offer them non-existent domestic worker positions. The coordinator specifically instructs the job seekers to catch late-afternoon transport so they arrive after dark, assuring them that a man will be waiting to escort them from the bus terminal.

Upon arrival at the Mangolwane bus stop, the victims were met by a male suspect who lured them into a nearby forest in the Nyuswa locality, where they were subsequently raped and robbed of their belongings.

SAPS has confirmed that extensive investigations are actively ongoing to track down the suspects. Authorities urge anyone with information that could lead to an arrest to contact the Acting Head of the Lusikisiki Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit, Detective Captain Flathela, on 063 502 5449, or to call the Crime Stop hotline on 08600 10111.