DPSA Vacancy Circular 35 of 2026: Matric and Entry-Level Posts
Quick answer: DPSA vacancy circular 35 of 2026, issued on 2 October 2026, advertises posts 35/01 to 35/393 across 16 national departments and six provinces. Several Grade 12 clerk posts paying R237,453 a year need no experience. Most close on 16 October 2026; apply on the new Z83 form directly to each department.
Key takeaways
The Department of Public Service and Administration published Circular 35 of 2026 on 2 October 2026.
Grade 12 clerk and support posts at Employment and Labour, Land Reform, Public Works and KwaZulu-Natal COGTA require no experience and pay R237,453 a year.
Most posts close on 16 October 2026, while NPA and several Western Cape posts close on 19 October 2026.
Applications go directly to the advertising department on the new Z83 form with a detailed CV.
No government department charges a fee to apply, so any payment request is a scam.
Last updated: 3 October 2026
The DPSA vacancy circular 35 of 2026 was issued by the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) on 2 October 2026. Its advertisements run from post 35/01 to post 35/393, covering 16 national departments and six provincial administrations. For job seekers with only a matric certificate, the useful news is that several departments have flagged clerk and support roles with the words "no experience required".
Below, Jobsiz has pulled out the entry-level and matric-level posts, the closing dates, the salary levels and the exact application routes, so you do not have to page through a 262-page PDF on your phone.
What is in DPSA vacancy circular 35 of 2026?
The circular contains vacancies from 16 national departments and the provincial administrations of the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, the Northern Cape, North West and the Western Cape. The Western Cape section is by far the largest, filling pages 161 to 262 of the document.
National departments with posts this week include:
Agriculture, Defence, and Employment and Labour
Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment
Government Technical Advisory Centre (GTAC) and Government Printing Works
Higher Education and Training, and Home Affairs
Land Reform and Rural Development, and Mineral and Petroleum Resources
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the Office of the Chief Justice
Public Works and Infrastructure, Small Business Development, Treasury, and Water and Sanitation
Gauteng, the Eastern Cape and Limpopo do not have their own provincial sections this week, although national departments are recruiting for offices in Pretoria, East London, Gqeberha and Polokwane.
Which posts need only matric and no experience?
At least 11 advertisements in this circular ask for Grade 12 (or lower) and state that no experience is needed. Most of them are Level 5 posts paying R237 453 per year. The list below shows a selection.
Registry Clerk x2, 3-year contract (HR 4/4/6/47): Employment and Labour, Provincial Office: Limpopo. Salary: R237 453 a year plus 37% in lieu of benefits. Requirement: Grade 12, no experience. Closes: 16 October 2026.
Human Resource Clerk x3, 3-year contract (HR4/4/8/189): Employment and Labour, Provincial Office: Northern Cape. Salary: R237 453 a year plus 37% in lieu of benefits. Requirement: Grade 12, no experience. Closes: 16 October 2026.
Secretary (3/1/1/1/2026/257): Land Reform and Rural Development, Pretoria (Gauteng). Salary: R237 453 a year (Level 5). Requirement: Grade 12, no experience. Closes: 16 October 2026.
Finance Clerk x4 (3/1/1/1/2026/258): Land Reform and Rural Development, Pretoria (Gauteng). Salary: R237 453 a year (Level 5). Requirement: Grade 12, no experience. Closes: 16 October 2026.
Registry Clerk (2026/359): Public Works and Infrastructure, Gqeberha Regional Office (Eastern Cape). Salary: R237 453 a year. Requirement: Grade 12, no experience, plus a completed Records Management course. Closes: 16 October 2026.
Registry Clerk: Facilities (22/1/3/6/3/58/2026): KwaZulu-Natal Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Durban. Salary: R237 453 a year (Level 5). Requirement: Grade 12, no experience. Closes: 16 October 2026.
Administration Clerk (22/1/3/6/3/59/2026): KwaZulu-Natal COGTA, Umkhanyakude District. Salary: R237 453 a year (Level 5). Requirement: Grade 12, no experience. Closes: 16 October 2026.
Finance Clerk x2 (22/1/3/6/3/54/2026 and 22/1/3/6/3/55/2026): KwaZulu-Natal COGTA, Umkhanyakude and Ugu. Salary: R237 453 a year (Level 5). Requirement: Grade 12, no experience, valid driver's licence. Closes: 16 October 2026.
Personnel Officer: Conditions of Service (22/1/3/6/3/57/2026): KwaZulu-Natal COGTA, Pietermaritzburg. Salary: R237 453 a year (Level 5). Requirement: Grade 12, no experience, valid driver's licence. Closes: 16 October 2026.
Office Aid (HR4/4/1/14): Employment and Labour, East London (Eastern Cape). Salary: R170 226 a year. Requirement: Grade 10, no experience. Closes: 16 October 2026.
Office Aid x2 (HR4/4/8/1021 and HR4/4/8/181): Employment and Labour, Sasolburg (Free State) and Kuruman (Northern Cape). Salary: R170 226 a year. Requirement: Grade 10, no experience. Closes: 16 October 2026.
The two Employment and Labour contract posts are worth a second look: instead of the usual pension and medical aid package, the department adds 37% to the basic salary.
Are there jobs for people without matric?
Yes. Apart from the Office Aid posts above, the Western Cape Department of Agriculture is hiring Farm Aids, and the minimum requirement is an ABET level 2 certificate or equivalent.
The Farm Aid posts (references AGR 38/2026, AGR 51/2026, AGR 52/2026 and AGR 49/2025 R1) pay R144 024 to R169 656 a year at Level 2 and close on 19 October 2026. The work covers crop irrigation, caring for livestock, cleaning facilities and maintaining fences, roads and water systems. The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness also lists household, laundry and food service aid jobs, but those ask for relevant experience in a health or industrial setting.
When does DPSA vacancy circular 35 of 2026 close?
Most posts close on 16 October 2026, a smaller group on 19 October 2026, and a few on 23 October 2026. Each department sets its own deadline and cut-off time, so always check the line printed above or below your chosen post.
Employment and Labour: 16 October 2026, 16:00 for walk-in applications and 23:59 for online applications.
Land Reform and Rural Development: 16 October 2026 at 16:00.
Public Works and Infrastructure: 16 October 2026 at 16:00.
KwaZulu-Natal COGTA: 16 October 2026.
NPA and Western Cape Agriculture: 19 October 2026.
Higher Education and Training, Home Affairs and some Mpumalanga Health posts: 23 October 2026.
The circular also carries corrections to earlier editions. For example, two Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) director posts advertised in Circular 34 (18 September) now close on 9 October 2026 instead of 5 October.
How do you apply for these government posts?
You apply directly to the department that advertised the post, not to the DPSA. The circular itself says enquiries must go to the advertising department.
Download the current Z83 form. Departments warn that applications on the old form will not be considered, and the government portal confirms the Z83 is available from any national or provincial department.
Complete every required section. Employment and Labour, for instance, wants Sections A to D filled in full and the declaration signed.
Attach a detailed CV. Only shortlisted candidates are usually asked for certified copies of qualifications and ID.
Quote the reference number and job title on the Z83 and in your email subject line.
Send it to the exact address in the advert. Examples: Employment and Labour Limpopo uses UIFJobs-LP@labour.gov.za; Public Works Gqeberha uses RecruitPE26-42@dpw.gov.za; Land Reform's Secretary and Finance Clerk posts accept hand delivery at the Office of the Chief Registrar of Deeds, 600 Lilian Ngoyi Street, Pretoria, or applications via deedsportal.deeds.gov.za; KwaZulu-Natal COGTA accepts post, hand delivery in Pietermaritzburg or the e-Recruitment system at www.eservices.gov.za; the Western Cape Agriculture Farm Aid posts accept email to westerncape@respond.co.za, post or hand delivery (other Western Cape posts are online only).
Double-check every email address against the official PDF before you press send, because one wrong character means your application never arrives.
Common mistakes that get applications rejected
Many applications are disqualified for paperwork errors that are easy to avoid, because departments say non-compliant applications will not be considered. Watch out for these:
Using the old Z83 form, or one Z83 for several posts. Employment and Labour requires a separate form for each post.
Sending the Z83 and CV as separate files when the department asks for one attachment.
Password-protected documents or ZIP files, which the NPA says will be blocked.
Missing the cut-off time on the closing day, not just the date.
Applying for the Public Works Registry Clerk post without the required Records Management course.
Also remember that departments often reply only to shortlisted candidates. Employment and Labour says that if you have not heard back within eight weeks, you should accept that your application was unsuccessful.
How to avoid government job scams
Genuine government posts never cost money to apply for. The Western Cape health adverts in this circular put it plainly: "No payment of any kind is required when applying for this post."
Jobsiz's advice: be wary of anyone who asks for application or "placement" fees, e-wallet or cash-send payments, or who recruits through unofficial WhatsApp numbers. Genuine public service adverts direct you to an official address in the circular, and the same caution applies to South African Police Service (SAPS) and other government recruitment drives. If someone promises you a post from this circular in exchange for money, walk away and report it to the department concerned.
What this means for you
If you have matric and are struggling to get a foot in the door, this week's circular offers real Level 5 openings in Limpopo, the Northern Cape, Gauteng, the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal that do not ask for experience. You have about two weeks, so download the Z83 now, tailor your CV to each post's duties and submit well before 16 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is the closing date for DPSA vacancy circular 35 of 2026?
Most posts close on 16 October 2026, with others closing on 19 or 23 October 2026. Each department sets its own date and time, so check the closing line for your specific post in the official circular.
Which posts in Circular 35 need no experience?
Several Grade 12 clerk posts state that no experience is required, including registry, finance, HR and administration clerk roles at Employment and Labour, Land Reform and Rural Development, Public Works and KwaZulu-Natal COGTA. Office Aid posts at Employment and Labour need Grade 10 and no experience.
How much does a Level 5 clerk earn in the public service?
Level 5 clerk posts in this circular are advertised at R237 453 a year. Some Western Cape posts show a range of R237 453 to R279 708 a year. Two Employment and Labour contract posts add 37% in lieu of benefits.
Where do I send my application for a DPSA circular post?
Send it to the department that advertised the post, using the email, postal or hand-delivery address printed in the advert. The DPSA itself does not handle applications or enquiries for these posts.
Do I need certified copies when applying?
Usually not at first. Most departments in this circular ask only for a completed Z83 and a CV, and request certified copies of qualifications and ID only from shortlisted candidates.
Do I have to pay to apply for a government job?
No. Government departments do not charge any fee to apply. Anyone asking for money, e-wallet payments or cash-send transfers in exchange for a post is running a scam.
Sources
This article was compiled by Jobsiz from the sources listed above, with AI-assisted writing and automated fact-checking. Published 3 October 2026. We update stories when new verified information becomes available.