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The Department of Small Business Development would like to once again warn the public about a fake facebook account that purports to be that of Minister of Small Business Development, Ms Lindiwe Zulu. Unscrupulous people are using this fake facebook account to defraud innocent and unsuspecting citizens of their hard-earned cash.

We condemn the existence of these false facebook accounts and the fraudulent use of Minister’s name and picture. We believe that this and similar accounts were created solely for the purpose of defrauding members of the public.

We would like to remind and advise all law-abiding citizens that neither Minister Zulu nor the department will ever request “upfront fees” from members of the public in exchange for accessing loans or business support grants. Anyone who has already fallen victim to this fraudulent activity is urged to approach their nearest police station.

For information about the department’s programmes and funding opportunities, the public is urged to contact the following number 086 184 3384 (select option 2)

Issued by the Department of Small Business Development