Latest news with #Spaan
IOL News
2 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
Spaan: The new recruitment platform restoring trust in South Africa's job market
Founder Africa Nontso, alongside a team of industry experts, unveiled Spaan with a mission rooted in rebuilding the credibility of the digital recruitment landscape. Image: Itumeleng English / Independent Newspapers In a market plagued by scams and fraudulent job schemes, the launch of Spaan, a verification-based online recruitment platform, offers a refreshing perspective aimed at restoring trust among both job seekers and employers. The launch event, held at Workshop 17 in Rosebank on Tuesday, came at a crucial time as South Africa grapples with an alarming rise in unemployment, which has surged from 31.9% to 32.9% in the first quarter of 2025, according to Statistics South Africa. As expected, South Africans of all ages report in large numbers whenever a job opportunity arises, making the job market a cut-throat and dog-eat-dog business, while the trust deficit with other platforms plummets to an all-time low due to job scams and other fraudulent online schemes. Founder of Spaan, Africa Nontso, revealed that his platform is all about rebuilding trust, expanding the market while ensuring accessibility even to those in the rural areas due to extensive research of the needs of the country's dynamic job market, which cuts across various levels of occupations. "Spaan is about bringing trust back to the job market through three pillars as people no longer trust the job market due to level of trust deficit, and for us, trust is not where we end, but it is where we start as we want to build this market on trust and not on jobs," Nontso said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Nontso, who has worked in the IT industry for over 10 years, indicated that he spent over a year developing this platform in an attempt to bridge the gap between technology and accessibility. At the heart of Spaan is the Spaan Report, a shareable, verified profile that confirms a candidate's personal details, identity, and qualifications with verification statuses that give confidence that every candidate is exactly who they say they are. Furthermore, according to Tlali Taoana, head of the platform's marketing, Spaan is designed to reduce friction in hiring as it helps employers access credible, pre-vetted talent while giving job seekers a fair and trusted way to stand out and prove they're ready to work. "Spaan is inclusive by design. It works across devices and is accessible via mobile, USSD, and WhatsApp, ensuring reach even in communities with limited connectivity. Whether you are a domestic worker in Soweto, a technician in Polokwane, or a graduate in Cape Town, Spaan empowers you to show up with proof and be recognised in both the informal and formal job market. "Spaan isn't just a platform; it's a movement. We're reimagining how hiring works in this country. Being verified and trusted should be the standard, not the exception,' Taoana added.
The Citizen
4 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
New platform Spaan opens new path for South African job seekers
With over 100 000 users in two months, Spaan is revolutionising job hunting in SA by providing verified, shareable profiles for job seekers. Founder and CEO of Spaan Afika Nontso with broadcaster Anele Mdoda at the media launch in Rosebank, Johannesburg on 10 June 2025. Picture: Nigel Sibanda Amid an above-30% youth unemployment crisis in South Africa, Spaan, the country's first verification-led employment platform, was yesterday officially launched in Johannesburg. Founder Afika Nontso said the platform was 'built to restore trust, dignity, expand access and connect job seekers to real opportunities'. Bridging the gap between tech and accessibility A SAP software product consultant and entrepreneur, Nontso has spent years working on innovative solutions that bridge the gap between technology and accessibility. With extensive experience in USSD, a communications protocol used by GSM cellphone projects, employment solutions and a 'passion for empowering underserved communities', Nontso said he has 'learnt how technology can give people access to jobs'. 'Within two months of being established, our registration has totalled 100 000. This is when I realised that a number of people are out there hungry for job opportunities. 'Verification, inclusivity and accessibility' 'Verification, inclusivity and accessibility is at the core of the platform,' said Nontso. ALSO READ: Ramaphosa urges employers to give BEEI youths their 'next opportunity' At the heart of the Spaan report is a shareable, verified profile, confirming a candidate's personal details, identity and qualifications. Spaan chief marketing officer Tlali Taoana said the platform was designed to 'reduce friction in hiring – helping employers access credible, pre-vetted talent, while giving job-seekers a fair and trusted way to stand out and prove they are ready to work'. Designed for all job markets Taoana said Spaan was inclusive by design, working across devices and accessible via mobile, USSD and WhatsApp. 'Whether you are a domestic worker in Soweto, a technician in Polokwane or a graduate in Cape Town, Spaan empowers you to show up with proof and be recognised in both the informal and formal job market. 'Through targeted national campaigns in townships, universities, informal markets and small, medium and micro enterprise networks, Spaan is already activating across the country connecting freelancers, tradespeople and professionals to meaningful employment.' For employers, Spaan simplifies recruitment, said Taoana. NOW READ: The dark picture of youth unemployment in South Africa
News24
4 days ago
- Business
- News24
New recruitment platform aiming to protect job seekers from scams enters the market
Thato Gololo/News24 New employment platform Spaan launched on Tuesday with 252 users, aiming to protect job seekers from scams in both formal and informal sectors. Spaan uses USSD codes and WhatsApp to improve access for users without smartphones or data. The platform was created in response to widespread job scams that have led to some victims incurring debt, with one person losing over R60 000 in just two weeks. A new employment platform was launched on Tuesday to protect job seekers from scams that prey on unemployed job seekers. Founder and CEO Afika Nontso said Spaan aims to restore trust in the job market through verification while ensuring accessibility. He said the platform was built for both the formal and informal job sectors. 'The first part when looking at [the informal] market is access. Do they have access to the internet and technology that will allow them to come onto the platform? It's not like the formal sector where you can catch them all online. We need to meet these people where they are.' As of Tuesday, the official launch day, the platform had 252 users. Spaan distinguishes itself by utilising USSD and WhatsApp for registration to make the service more accessible to those without smartphones or data. Nontso previously worked for a company that assisted the City of Tshwane in implementing its Expanded Public Works Programme, a government programme aimed at creating work opportunities for unemployed people. He said the programme had massive growth once it implemented its USSD-based registration system. Realising that access to verifiable but accessible job opportunities was lacking in South Africa, he was motivated to launch the platform. He has spent the last ten months working on realising his goal. The platform allows verified employers to send job offers through Spaan, which job seekers can accept via WhatsApp or USSD. Its search feature enables employers to filter candidates based on criteria including age, criminal background checks and driver's licence status. Employers can only see candidates who have verified their ID, which costs R30. Similarly, an employer can only register on the platform by connecting a verified ID. A job scam victim told News24 about being approached via WhatsApp for a freelance writing position. The victim, who asked not to be named said: I was approached online via WhatsApp to say there is a part-time freelance writer gig, and I think what interested me then is that it would not take too much of my time. The scammers requested banking details and instructed the victim to download Telegram. They then requested increasing amounts of money to access additional jobs, promising that the money would be returned with commission. The scam resulted in over R60 000 in debt within two weeks, beginning with small deposits of R250. When she requested her money back, the scammers disabled the WhatsApp and Telegram contacts. She said a platform like Spaan would have 'helped a lot' in her research to determine if the company that approached her was legitimate. Nontso says his goal is to require a Spaan verification report from every employer and job seeker in the country to avoid situations such as this.
