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The office of former struggle stalwart Reverend Frank Chikane has called on the general public to guard against fraudsters using his name to solicit cash donations for a conference scheduled to take place in Harare, Zimbabwe, this month.
Speaking on behalf of the conference organisers, Palesa Motloung said members of the public brought to their attention that unknown individuals were calling people randomly claiming to be raising funds on behalf of the Apostolic Faith Mission International, Pastor George Mahlobo and Reverend Chikane. The two religious leaders are scheduled to address the conference in Zimbabwe.
Chikane was director-general during the presidencies of Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe.
“The only possible reason we think these fraudsters are doing this is because our office will be hosting a conference in Harare and Rufaro in Zimbabwe from April 18 to 24,” said Motloung.
“Posters have been put up all around Zimbabwe with the faces of Dr Chikane and Pastor Mahlobo advertising the upcoming conference,” she explained.
She said the fraudsters were calling randomly pretending to be either Chikane or Mahlobo, or claiming to be acting on their behalf and asking for donations. They ask for R3000 to be deposited into a fraudulent bank account, she explained.
“Unfortunately some people fell for this scam and have paid the money already,” she said.
Motloung also said that the fraudsters sometimes claimed to be calling from Zimbabwe but their phone number indicated that the call originated in South Africa.
“We urge people not to pay any money over to any account” she said.
For more information, contact the organisation’s general manager Desmond Alie on 012 644 0490 or email Motloung: palesa@afm-ags.org
