By NewGenJobs Editorial Team · Career guidance for South African job seekers
The Z83 is a government application form that every person applying for a position advertised in a PSC Circular or on the DPSA portal must submit. It was updated in January 2022 and the new version is non-negotiable - the old blue-bordered form is no longer accepted. This guide walks through every section so you know what is being asked and where people go wrong.
Download the Z83 form from the DPSA website (dpsa.gov.za) or from the website of any national government department. The current version has a government crest at the top and says "Z83 Application for Employment" in its header. If the form you have has a blue border or looks different from what you find on the DPSA website, it is outdated.
The form can be completed electronically and submitted by email as a PDF, or printed and completed by hand. If you complete it by hand, write clearly. A form that a screener cannot read is treated the same as an incomplete form.
This section collects your full name and surname, your SA ID number, your gender, your race (for Employment Equity purposes), your nationality, your contact details, and your home language. All fields must be completed.
Your ID number is used to verify your identity and citizenship status. Double-check that it is correct. A transposed digit will not automatically disqualify your application but it will cause delays and questions during the vetting process.
The disability question asks whether you consider yourself to have a disability. This is voluntary and does not disadvantage your application - government departments have Employment Equity targets for people with disabilities and being open about this may in some cases work in your favour.
Here you enter the title of the post, the reference number, the salary level, the name of the department, and the directorate or branch if specified. The reference number is the most important field in this section. It is how HR matches your Z83 to the correct vacancy. Get it exactly right from the circular or advert.
The form asks you to specify which province you are applying to. If the post is in Pretoria, you are applying to Gauteng. If the advert lists multiple provinces, you must complete a separate Z83 for each province you are applying in - one Z83 per application.
List your highest qualification and any others that are relevant to the post you are applying for. Include the name of the institution, the qualification obtained, the year of completion, and whether or not the qualification has been SAQA-evaluated (required for foreign qualifications).
Do not exaggerate or misrepresent your qualifications here. Government departments conduct qualification verifications through the South African Qualifications Authority, and a discrepancy between what you write on the Z83 and what SAQA records show is grounds for immediate disqualification - and potentially for disciplinary action if you are already employed in the public sector.
List your current and previous employment in reverse chronological order. Include the employer name, your job title, your start and end dates, and your reason for leaving. The form has limited space - summarise if necessary, but make sure the dates and job titles are accurate.
If you are currently employed in the public service, your salary level and notch must be declared. This is used to calculate any salary adjustment on appointment and to verify your leave balance if you are transferring between departments.
This section includes several yes/no questions about your background: whether you have a criminal record, whether you have been dismissed from the public service before, whether you are related to any person in the employing department, and whether you have any financial interests that should be declared.
Answer these honestly. Criminal record checks are conducted on all shortlisted candidates. A criminal record does not automatically disqualify you for all posts - the relevance of the offence to the role is considered. But lying on the form is grounds for immediate termination if discovered after employment.
The declaration must be signed. This is the section where most Z83 forms are rejected - people complete everything else and forget to sign at the bottom. The form is not valid without a signature. If you are submitting electronically, a digital signature is acceptable.
List two to three references - people who can speak to your work performance and character. These must be former or current managers, not friends or family. Include their full name, their relationship to you (e.g. "Former direct supervisor"), their contact number, and their email address.
Let your references know you are applying for government posts. They may be contacted by phone or email at short notice during the vetting process. A reference who does not answer or who seems unaware that you listed them creates a poor impression that reflects on your application.
Under the current Z83 requirements, you do not need to attach certified copies of your qualifications, ID, or other documents with your initial application. This changed in 2022. You only submit certified copies if you are shortlisted and the department requests them.
What you should attach: your completed and signed Z83 form, and your CV. Some adverts ask for a covering letter - check the advertisement. Do not attach anything else unless the advert specifically requests it.
NewGenJobs auto-fills your Z83
Set up your Z83 profile on NewGenJobs once - your personal details, qualifications, employment history, and references - and we populate the form automatically each time you apply for a government post. Set up your profile here.
If you are applying through a traditional email or postal submission, you will need to print the form, complete it by hand, sign and initial it, then scan it before submitting. However, if you use NewGenJobs, we generate a completed Z83 PDF directly from your saved profile and send it on your behalf, so you never need to print anything.
No. The current Z83 form was updated and made effective from 1 January 2021. Applications submitted using the old form will be disqualified automatically. Always download the latest version from the DPSA website or use NewGenJobs which always uses the current official version.
Government HR departments are strict about Z83 errors. A missed initial, unsigned form, or incorrect field can result in automatic disqualification. This is one of the main reasons NewGenJobs exists - our system fills in every field accurately using your verified profile information, reducing the risk of errors to near zero.
Under the current rules, you do not need to submit certified copies of your qualifications at the application stage. The Z83 instructions state that only shortlisted candidates will be asked to provide certified copies before the interview date. Do not attach certified documents unless the specific job advert explicitly requests them at application stage.
Parts A and B of the Z83 must be fully completed by all applicants. These cover the advertised post details and your personal information. Parts C through G cover contact details, language proficiency, qualifications, work experience, and references. For Parts C to G, government circulars now allow applicants to write "see attached CV" if there is insufficient space, as long as the CV is included.
The Z83 form provides space for up to three previous employers in Section F. You should list your most recent roles. If you have more than three, list the three most relevant or recent and ensure your attached CV covers the full work history.
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