Updated 2026-11-14
South African national and provincial public service vacancies are published in the Department of Public Service and Administration's Public Service Vacancy Circular. The Circular is normally issued weekly, except in December, and groups adverts from public service departments. Start at the DPSA Circular page.
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This guide explains how to find the official advert, check the department's own instructions, and read the fields that identify one specific post.
Use the DPSA Public Service Vacancy Circular as your weekly starting point. DPSA says the Circular contains adverts for vacant posts and jobs in public service departments, except that it is not published during December.
Open the newest Circular and use its index. It separates national departments and provincial administrations, with annexure letters and page ranges. For example, Circular 40 of 2026, issued on 6 November 2026, has an index that points readers to each department's annexure.
Also check the advertising department's official website and the instructions inside that department's annexure. DPSA issues the Circular but says it is not responsible for advert content. Questions about a vacancy must go to the department that advertised it, not DPSA. The department section is therefore the source for the application address, email or online route, closing date and contact person.
Read every label in the individual post. The following example format comes from the Department of Defence section of Circular 40 of 2026. Your own post can have different requirements and instructions.
| Advert field | What to check | What you should do |
|---|---|---|
| POST | The job title and the post number within that Circular. | Use the title exactly as advertised on your application. |
| REF NO | The vacancy's unique reference number, for example DPSP 34/40/26 in the Circular example. | Copy it exactly onto the Z83 and, where required, the email subject line. |
| SALARY | The advertised annual salary or range and the stated salary level. The example says R237 453 - R279 708 per annum, Level 05. | Treat the level and salary wording as part of that specific advert. Do not assume another post with a similar title has the same salary. |
| CENTRE | The duty station or office location. The example says Armscor Building, Erasmuskloof, Pretoria. | Check that you can work at the stated centre. The application address can be different from the centre. |
| REQUIREMENTS | The minimum qualification, experience and named skills or knowledge. | Apply only if you meet the stated minimum requirements, and show relevant evidence in your CV. |
| DUTIES | The work the successful applicant is expected to do. | Use this to tailor your CV to the advertised work. |
| APPLICATIONS and CLOSING DATE | Where and how to send the application, and the deadline. | Follow that department's route and make sure it arrives by the stated deadline. |
| ENQUIRIES | The named person or contact number for the post. | Ask the advertising department about the advert. Do not ask DPSA to interpret it. |
The centre tells you where the job is based. It is not automatically the place where you submit your application. In the same Circular, department-level instructions can allow post, hand delivery or email, while the centre identifies the office where the successful applicant will work.
The reference number links your application to one vacancy. DPSA requires applicants to indicate the vacancy reference number. The Z83 form has separate fields for the advertised position, department and reference number as stated in the advert.
A salary level is shown in some adverts next to the salary. It is not a replacement for reading the salary line, requirements or centre. Record both the salary wording and the stated level from the particular post you intend to apply for.
Use one application for one advertised post unless that department's notice says otherwise. The Department of Employment and Labour's Z83 completion guidance says each Z83 is for one position and tells applicants to write the reference number exactly as reflected in the advert.
| Before you submit | Check |
|---|---|
| Post identity | Job title, department and reference number match the advert. |
| Location | You understand the centre and have not confused it with the application address. |
| Eligibility | Your qualifications and experience meet the listed minimum requirements. |
| Form | You use the current Z83. Circular 40 of 2026 says the new Z83 has been effective since 1 January 2021. |
| Deadline and route | You followed the post-specific delivery method and closing date. |
Complete the form accurately and sign the declaration. The Z83 says it is used to assist a government department to select a person for an advertised post, and that applicants selected for interviews may be asked for additional certified information.
DPSA says it is published weekly except during December. Check the DPSA Circular page for the available publications rather than assuming a vacancy is current.
No. DPSA says your Z83 and details of training, qualifications, competencies, knowledge and experience must be sent to the department where the vacancy exists. Direct questions to that advertising department.
It is the stated duty station or office location for the post. Read APPLICATIONS separately because the submission address, email address or online route may be different.
Copy the reference number for the exact vacancy as it appears in the advert. The Z83 has a reference-number field, and DPSA requires applicants to indicate it.
Check the current advert. Circular 40 of 2026 instructs applicants to use the new Z83 effective 1 January 2021. Use the current form linked on the DPSA Circular page.