DPSA Circular 38 of 2026: Matric Government Jobs

DPSA Public Service Vacancy Circular 38 of 2026 was published on 23 October 2026, and it includes dozens of government posts that need only matric (Grade 12), Grade 10 or ABET, many with "no experience required". Entry-level clerk posts pay R237 453 a year (salary level 5), general worker and cleaner posts pay R144 024, and most closing dates fall between 6 and 13 November 2026. Below are the best openings for matriculants, where each one is based and exactly how to apply.

Key takeaways

Released: Friday, 23 October 2026, on the DPSA website.
Size: 623 numbered adverts (38/01 to 38/623) from 19 national departments and 8 provincial administrations. Gauteng has the biggest section.
Matric, no experience: clerk, registry, call centre and client service posts at Correctional Services, Employment and Labour, the Office of the Chief Justice, Gauteng departments and SAPS.
No matric needed: boiler assistants (Grade 10), office aids (Grade 10) and SAPS cleaners (ABET Level 4 / Grade 9).
Biggest batch: Limpopo Department of Health is hiring 24 general workers, 13 ward attendants and 7 driver/messengers.
Closing dates: 6 November 2026 (Employment and Labour, SAPS, Limpopo Health) and 9 November 2026 (Correctional Services, OCJ, Gauteng). Other adverts close as late as 13 November 2026.

What is DPSA vacancy circular 38 of 2026?

The Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) publishes a vacancy circular every week, except in December. It collects job adverts from national and provincial departments in one PDF. The DPSA does not hire for these posts itself: you apply directly to the department named in each advert, using the reference number printed there.

Circular 38 also carries one correction from last week: the Civilian Secretariat for Police Service changed the email address for its Internal Audit internship (Ref CSP/26/2026, closing 30 October 2026) advertised in circular 37. If you applied to the wrong address, resend before the closing date.

Which posts need only matric and no experience?

These adverts list Grade 12 (or an NQF level 4 equivalent) as the minimum and state that no experience is required. Salaries are per year, before deductions.

Department of Correctional Services (closing 9 November 2026 at 15:45)

Administration clerks, accounting clerks and a disability assistant clerk at National Head Office: R237 453 (refs HO 2026/11/89 to HO 2026/11/101).
Call centre agent (3 posts), Marketing and Promotions, National Head Office: R237 453 (ref HO 2026/11/102). A customer service certificate is an advantage, not a requirement.
Stores clerks (posting, transit and 2 warehouse posts) at Kroonstad Training College and registration clerks (2 posts) at Zonderwater Training College: R237 453.
How to apply: online only at careers.dcs.gov.za. Emailed, posted or hand-delivered applications are not accepted.

Department of Employment and Labour (closing 6 November 2026)

Client service officer: Inspection and Enforcement Services (3 posts) at the KwaMhlanga, Mashishing and Bronkhorstspruit labour centres: R280 278 (salary level 6). Grade 12, no experience.
Registry clerk, UIF (2 posts), KwaZulu-Natal provincial office, Durban: R237 453 plus 37% in lieu of benefits, on a three-year contract.
How to apply: use the postal, hand-delivery or post-specific email address in each advert. Walk-in applications close at 16:00 and emailed ones at 23:59. Send the Z83 and CV as one attachment and put the job title and reference number in the subject line.

Office of the Chief Justice (closing 9 November 2026)

Registry clerk, National Office, Midrand: R237 453 to R279 708 (ref 2026/156/OCJ). Grade 12, no experience; registry experience is an advantage.
How to apply: email the address that matches the reference number, as printed in the advert.

Gauteng provincial departments (closing 9 November 2026)

Community Safety, Traffic Management: administration clerks (Central Corridor head office, Far East Rand, Northern Corridor and Security Management in Johannesburg) at R237 453 and a receptionist in Braamfontein at R201 093. You must have no criminal record or pending cases. Apply online through the Gauteng professional job centre (professionaljobcentre.gpg.gov.za).
Infrastructure Development, EPWP: administrative clerks (4 posts in total) at head office in Johannesburg: R237 453. Apply online at jobs.gauteng.gov.za.

SAPS civilian clerk posts (closing 6 November 2026 at 16:00)

Administration clerks for SAPS, mostly at operational command centres, in the Eastern Cape, Gauteng (Brixton and Jeppe), Limpopo (4 posts in Polokwane), Mpumalanga (Nelspruit and Secunda), North West (Potchefstroom) and the Western Cape (Cape Town): R237 453. You need Grade 12, a Senior Certificate or NCV Level 4, and South African citizenship.
How to apply: each province lists its own recruitment address (and an email address in some provinces). Send your application to the address linked to your reference number.

Are there government jobs without matric in this circular?

Yes. A few adverts accept Grade 10, Grade 9 or ABET:

Boiler assistant (3 posts), Gauteng Infrastructure Development, Dunswart Laundry: Grade 10, no experience, R144 024 (ref REFS/056904).
Office aid (3 posts), Employment and Labour, Phalaborwa, Lebowakgomo and Carletonville labour centres: Grade 10 (Standard 8), R170 226.
Cleaner (2 posts) and garden worker (1 post), SAPS National Operational Command Centre: R144 024. The cleaner advert asks for ABET Level 4 / Grade 9.
Ward attendant (13 posts), general worker/labourer (24 posts) and handyman (2 posts), Limpopo Department of Health: these accept matric or ABET/AET at NQF level 4.

Limpopo Department of Health: the largest entry-level batch

Limpopo Health advertised the most entry-level posts in this circular, at hospitals and district offices across the province. All of them close on 6 November 2026, and applications are accepted only through the province's e-recruitment portal (erecruitment.limpopo.gov.za).

General worker/labourer (24 posts): R144 024. The job covers porter, laundry aid and cleaning duties.
Ward attendant (13 posts): R170 226. You must be able to lift patients and heavy equipment.
Driver/messenger (7 posts): R201 093. Requires a Code C1 driver's licence, a professional driving permit (PDP) and 7 to 12 months of driving experience.
Food service aid (4 posts): R144 024.
Handyman (2 posts): R170 226.
Telecom operator (2 posts, shifts): R201 093.

Upload your CV as a PDF. The department says zipped, IMG and JPEG files will not be accepted.

How much do entry-level government jobs pay?

The circular uses the standard public service salary levels. Here are the annual amounts and rough monthly figures before tax and deductions:

Level 2 (cleaner, general worker, boiler assistant): R144 024 a year, about R12 000 a month.
Level 3 (ward attendant, office aid, handyman): R170 226 a year, about R14 190 a month.
Level 4 (driver/messenger, receptionist, telecom operator): R201 093 a year, about R16 760 a month.
Level 5 (administration, registry and accounting clerks): R237 453 a year, about R19 790 a month.
Level 6 (client service officer): R280 278 a year, about R23 360 a month.

Permanent posts usually come with benefits such as a pension fund, medical aid subsidy and housing allowance if you qualify. Contract posts may instead pay a percentage in lieu of benefits, like the UIF registry clerk posts above.

How do you apply for posts in circular 38 of 2026?

Open the official circular. Download circular 38 from the DPSA vacancy circular page, or open only the annexure for the department or province you want.
Check the requirements. Apply only if you meet the minimum qualification, licence or citizenship requirement. Applications that don't meet it are filtered out first.
Complete the new Z83 form (the version in use since 1 January 2021). Fill in every field in Parts A to D, write the exact post title and reference number, and sign it. Our step-by-step Z83 guide covers each section.
Attach a detailed CV. Most departments now ask only for the Z83 and CV. Certified copies of your ID and certificates are requested only if you are shortlisted. If you have little work history, see how to write a CV with no experience.
Use the right channel. Correctional Services, Gauteng and Limpopo Health accept online applications only. Other departments specify email, post or hand delivery. Use exactly the method in the advert.
Submit one application per post, before the closing date and time. Late applications are not considered.
Keep proof (a screenshot, a sent email or a delivery stamp). If you have not heard back within about three months, most departments say you should treat the application as unsuccessful.

Common mistakes that get applications rejected

Using the old Z83 form or leaving fields in Parts A to D blank.
Quoting the wrong reference number or sending one Z83 for several posts.
Emailing a department that wants online-only applications (Correctional Services, Gauteng, Limpopo Health).
Sending JPEG photos or zipped files when the advert asks for PDF.
Applying for a post with a licence or registration requirement (for example C1 + PDP, or SANC registration) that you don't hold.

How to avoid government job scams

Public service posts are free to apply for. No real department, recruiter or "agent" will ask you to pay for a post, a shortlist place or an interview. Check every vacancy against the official DPSA circular before you apply. Ignore WhatsApp messages that promise guaranteed jobs, as in the SAPS recruitment scam we covered earlier this month.

What this means for you

If you have matric and no work experience, circular 38 offers clerk posts at R237 453 in several departments, and most of them can be done online. Pick the posts that match your location and qualifications, prepare a clean Z83 and CV this weekend, and apply well before 6 November, the earliest closing date. A new circular comes out every Friday until the December break. You can also browse current jobs in South Africa on Jobsiz or see last week's circular 37 matric jobs, which may still be open.

Frequently asked questions

When was DPSA vacancy circular 38 of 2026 released?

The DPSA published circular 38 of 2026 on Friday, 23 October 2026.

What is the closing date for circular 38 of 2026?

It depends on the department. Employment and Labour, SAPS and Limpopo Health close on 6 November 2026. Correctional Services (15:45), the Office of the Chief Justice and the Gauteng departments listed above close on 9 November 2026. Some other adverts, including several in KwaZulu-Natal, close on 10 or 13 November 2026. Always check the date in the specific advert.

Can I get a government job with only matric and no experience?

Yes. Circular 38 has several Grade 12 posts marked "no experience required", including clerk posts at Correctional Services, Gauteng Community Safety and Gauteng Infrastructure Development, and the client service officer posts at Employment and Labour.

How much does a government administration clerk earn in South Africa?

Administration clerk posts in this circular are at salary level 5, which pays R237 453 a year, about R19 790 a month before deductions.

Do I pay to apply for DPSA vacancies?

No. Applying for a public service post is free. Anyone who asks for money to secure a government job is running a scam.

Sources

Ready to apply? Create a free Jobsiz profile and build your CV with our resume builder, then check back every Friday for the next circular.

By the Jobsiz Editorial Team · Updated 23 October 2026. Information is taken from the official DPSA circular. Always confirm details in the department's own advert before you apply.

DPSA Circular 38 of 2026: Matric and No-Experience Government Jobs