South Africa is the second largest economy in Africa, and its per capita living standard is among the best in Africa. Its industrial system is the most perfect in Africa. Its deep-well mining technology ranks among the top in the world. South Africa is a middle-income developing country and one of the most economically developed countries in Africa. Natural resources are abundant. The financial and legal systems are relatively sound, and the telecommunications, transportation, energy and other infrastructure are sound. Mining industry, manufacturing industry, agriculture and service industry are all developed, which are the four pillars of the economy. Deep well mining and other technologies occupy a leading position in the world. However, the development of various sectors and regions of the national economy is unbalanced, and the characteristics of urban and rural economy and black-and-white economy are obvious. In the early 1980s and early 1990s, the economy suffered from the impact of international sanctions. The new South African government formulated a “Reconstruction and Development Plan” that emphasized the social and economic advancement of the black population.
South Africa has high unemployment, measured at 28.18% in 2019. It has risen since the economic crisis in 2008, although is lower than it was at the start of the 21st century when it was regularly above 30%.
According to the World Bank, South Africa has the worst unemployment in the sub-Saharan African region which had an average of 6.2% unemployment in 2019.
It can be tough to get work as a migrant in South Africa unless you have specific skills and qualifications needed in the country. Semi-skilled and unskilled jobs are hard to come by and employers prefer to recruit from the pool of unemployed locals. Most working-age expats moving to South Africa tend to have a job offer first before relocating.
However, there are skills shortages in South Africa in certain sectors so it’s worth keeping an eye out for opportunities if you are skilled in any of the following areas identified as shortage in 2019:
advanced ICT
engineering
artisan
executive level finance
healthcare
executive managerial
specialist & academic
executive level mining
risk management
languages
Job salaries in South Africa
From 1 March 2020, theSouth African minimum wage increases by 3.8% to R20.76 (approx. €1.05) an hour. This is lower for farm workers (R18.68), domestic workers (R15.57) and workers employed on expanded public works programs (R11.42).
How to find jobs in South Africa
By law, all jobs in South Africa must be advertised nationally and will only be opened up to international applicants if a suitable South African citizen isn’t available to do the job. However, in practice many jobs are filled by of mouth, networking or individuals sending speculative applications to companies and organisations.
When you first apply for a job in South Africa, send a brief profile only unless asked to do otherwise. This should be one side of A4 size containing personal details, education and a list of previous jobs in chronological order, making clear which ones are the most relevant to the position for which you are applying.
Mention that a comprehensive CV is also available. Send a covering letter expanding on your suitability for the job if the application is speculative.
Interviews for South African jobs are broadly similar to in Europe or the US, although it will obviously depend on the type of job and company you are applying to. You should research the company in advance of the interview to prepare and come up with some good questions to ask. Be punctual and dress smartly, unless the interview invitation suggests dressing otherwise.
The interview will probably last between 30-60 minutes in most cases. If you are successful, you will be formally offered the job and the company will check your references. Typically, you will be asked to provide 2-3 referees who can attest to your skills, knowledge and character.
Writing your South African CV
The key to successful South African CVs is ensuring all the important and relevant information is enclosed. Here’s some key points that should be included when writing your CV in South Africa:
Both the short and long version of your CV must include your personal information. This includes full name, address, contact telephone, and e-mail, date and place of birth, nationality, marital status, and sex.
A personal statement. On your comprehensive CV, it’s common to include a brief personal statement outlining career objectives/goals.
Education information. On the brief profile, simply list your education with the highest level and most recent first e.g. university, high school etc. including name of the institution, qualifications and subjects. For the ‘Comprehensive CV’ you should supply more detail highlighting specialist subjects and disciplines. You can also include extracurricular activities, awards, honors and courses.
Employment History – As above, the brief profile should simply give a list of previous employers in reverse chronological order – include company name, job title, dates of employment. The ‘Comprehensive CV’ should list employment history in reverse chronological order or in a functional format that highlights particular skills. Be sure to include dates of employment, full company name, position held, responsibilities and achievements
Skills – bullet point any relevant skills you have gained through employment and education, including foreign languages (state your ability), computer literacy and any training or development you have undertaken
Hobbies and Interests – only provide these if they are relevant to the role or demonstrate certain skills
Which language should I apply in?
South Africa is a country full of diversity with eleven official languages. The most common spoken languages are isiZulu (Zulu) and isiXhosa (Xhosa), followed by Afrikaans and English. In most urban areas, South Africans will speak English as their second language and it’s widely used in workplaces and business environments. However, naturally having a good understanding of Afrikaans or any of the other official languages will be a distinct advantage to foreign applicants.
With English being the primary business language, most companies accept applications in English unless the job application specifies otherwise.
Under the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA), employees can work up to 45 hours every week (no more than 12 hours a day) and can choose to work a further 10 hours a week in overtime.
Annual leave entitlement is 21 days per year for full-time employment, plus public holidays. Trade unions are important in South Africa and about a quarter of the working population belong to the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU). Union members have higher average salaries than non-members.
There is no legal requirement for employment contracts in South Africa, however many companies use them. You will find them issued as standard in most large companies.
Notice periods for termination of employment according to the BCEA are as follows:
One week if the employee has been working for 6 months or less;
Two weeks if the employee has been working 6-12 months;
Four weeks if the employee has been working more than a year (or more than 6 months if a farm worker or domestic worker)
Common job interview questions in South Africa
Most interviews follow a similar structure across the board, with employers asking open questions that allow them to assess your skills and suitability for the position. In South Africa, employers put great emphasis on post-education qualifications and work experience, so the questions are likely to be focused on these areas, but can also include:
Why are you applying to work in South Africa?
What do you like/know about the job?
What do you know about the company?
Which are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
What are your career goals/objectives for the future?
What makes you a good candidate for the job?
Can you name a time where you demonstrated initiative/problem solving skills/leadership?
What did you dislike about your previous role? Did you ever have any conflicts with management or colleagues? – This isn’t to dredge up negative aspects, but more to show how you overcame challenges in a working environment, so keep it positive and relevant.
