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The Mzansi Post

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    Jobs, learnerships and study

    Find government posts, register free with the official work-seeker services, look for learnerships, get your CV, cover letter and interview ready, and know what to do if you are dismissed unfairly. Applying for a job is always free. We are an independent guide, not a government department.

    The Johannesburg skyline with the Hillbrow Tower, and jacaranda trees in bloom in the foreground

    Start here

    1. Looking for a government post? Read the weekly public service vacancy circular, and apply with the Z83 form and your CV. Our Z83 checklist lists every step.
    2. Looking for any work or training? Register free on ESSA, and on SA Youth if you are 18 to 34.
    3. Want a qualification while you work? Find a legitimate learnership.
    4. Want to study? Work out your APS and matric pass type, apply to a TVET college, rewrite your matric if you need better results, and check NSFAS funding.
    5. Getting your application ready? Write a CV, or make one with our free CV maker, add a cover letter, and prepare for the interview.
    6. Dismissed unfairly? Refer the dispute to the CCMA within 30 days. You can do it yourself, without paying anyone.

    Official places to look

    Official channels only. We don't run any of them.

    Never pay for a job

    The Department of Employment and Labour says no person may charge a work seeker a fee for employment services. Real employers, government departments, SETAs and public TVET colleges don’t ask for money to apply, to interview or to “secure” a post or a learnership. The department asks you to report anyone who asks for money to it, at a labour centre. For a government post, you can also call the National Anti-Corruption Hotline on 0800 701 701.

    Government jobs

    • How to use the DPSA vacancy circular

      How the weekly DPSA Public Service Vacancy Circular works, how to read a post, and how to apply to a government department with the Z83 and your CV.

    • How to fill in the Z83 form

      Fill in the Z83 application form for a public service post section by section: the reference number, what you may leave blank, signing, and what to attach.

    Register as a work seeker

    • How to register on ESSA as a work seeker

      Register on ESSA, the Department of Employment and Labour's free work-seeker database: what you need, the steps online or at a labour centre, and how to apply.

    • How to register on SA Youth

      Register on SAYouth.mobi if you are 18 to 34 and looking for work or training: who can join, what you need, how it works and how it uses your data.

    Learnerships and study

    • Learnerships in South Africa

      What a learnership is, how it differs from an internship, where to find legitimate learnerships through SETAs, ESSA and SA Youth, and how to avoid fake ones.

    • How to rewrite or upgrade your matric

      Rewrite matric subjects in the May and June exams, or write the Senior Certificate if you are 21 or older: who qualifies, registration and free support.

    • How to apply to a TVET college

      How to apply to a public TVET college: when to apply, which programmes still take new students, entry requirements, documents and NSFAS funding.

    CV, cover letter and interview

    • How to write a cover letter

      Write a one-page cover letter for a South African job: what goes at the top, what each paragraph says, an example and the mistakes that cost interviews.

    • Common interview questions and how to answer them

      Prepare for a job interview in South Africa: common questions and how to answer them, what to ask, what to bring and how to avoid fake interviews.

    • How to write a South African CV

      How to write a South African CV that fits the job: what to include and in what order, how to fill it when you have no work experience, and a simple outline.

    Problems at work