The South African Department of Employment and Labour is officially recruiting qualified individuals to fill two (2) Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Inspector positions within the Northern Cape province. These permanent, highly critical regulatory roles are stationed in Kimberley and Kuruman.
OHS Inspectors are responsible for enforcing the Occupational Health and Safety Act by conducting workplace inspections, investigating industrial accidents, and ensuring that employers maintain safe, hazard-free environments for their workforce.
Position Details
- Employer: Department of Employment and Labour, Republic of South Africa
- Locations: Northern Cape
- Kimberley (1 Post)
- Kuruman (1 Post)
- Position: Inspector: Occupational Health and Safety
- Salary: R413 001 per annum (Cost to Company / Permanent)
- Closing Date: 08 June 2026
Minimum Requirements & Qualifications
To pass the structural vetting process, applicants must hold a completed National Diploma / Advanced Diploma / Bachelor’s Degree (NQF Level 6) in any of the following highly specific technical or scientific fields:
- Engineering: Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronic Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering.
- Health & Safety Sciences: Environmental Health, Construction Management/Sciences.
- Chemical Sciences: Chemistry, Biochemistry.
- Biological Sciences: Biology, Microbiology, Biomedical Sciences, Biotechnology.
- Additional: A valid driver’s license is highly essential due to the regular travel requirements for on-site factory and field inspections.
Key Areas of Responsibility
As an OHS Inspector, you will perform statutory enforcement duties to protect worker safety:
- Workplace Inspections: Planning and executing routine, unannounced inspections at factories, construction sites, mines, and commercial centers to audit compliance with OHS legislative frameworks.
- Accident Investigations: Leading investigations into serious or fatal workplace incidents, documenting structural or procedural failures, and compiling legal reports for prosecution or inquiries.
- Enforcement Measures: Issuing formal prohibition notices, improvement notices, or statutory directives to businesses found breaching health and safety protocols.
- Advocacy & Education: Providing technical clarity and guidance to employers, labor unions, and employees regarding legal compliance obligations and safety management systems.
Potential Interview Questions
Statutory Enforcement & OHS Legislation
- “During a routine inspection of a heavy manufacturing plant, you discover a high-voltage electrical box left completely exposed near a wet assembly line. The site manager asks you to overlook it, promising it will be fixed by tomorrow. Walk us through your exact statutory response as an Inspector.”
- Why they ask: This evaluates your ethical standing and legislative knowledge. An official inspector must prioritize immediate hazard mitigation—you would issue an immediate Prohibition Notice halting operations in that zone until verified safe.
- “With your background (e.g., Engineering, Microbiology, Environmental Health), how would you systematically identify unseen health hazards, such as toxic chemical leaks or bio-contaminants, compared to obvious physical hazards like broken scaffolding?”
- Why they ask: They want to see how you adapt your specific NQF 6 university discipline to the operational environment of the Department of Labour.
Conflict Resolution & Professionalism
- “Inspectors are frequently met with hostility, resistance, or denial by factory managers or business owners who feel the inspection disrupts their production output. How do you handle high-conflict situations on-site while maintaining your professional authority?”
- Why they ask: The panel is looking for exceptional interpersonal diplomacy, emotional control, and a firm but fair enforcement mindset.
How to Apply
Applications must be compiled using the newly gazetted Z83 application form (obtainable from any government department or online public services portal).
- Required Attachments: A comprehensive CV, certified copies of your relevant NQF 6 qualification certificates, complete academic transcripts, a copy of your driver’s license, and your South African ID.
- Direct Routing: Ensure your Z83 form clearly references the correct station (Kimberley or Kuruman) along with the specific post reference number listed in the public gazette. Applications must be routed directly to the Provincial Head of the Department of Employment and Labour in the Northern Cape before the 8 June 2026 deadline.
Jobs-NCKIM@labour.gov.za (both Kimberley and Kuruman posts)
Or by post/hand delivery to:
Chief Director: Provincial Operations, Private Bag X5012, Kimberley, 8301
(Hand delivery: Laboria House, c/o Pniel & Compound Street, Kimberley)
Enquiries: Ms S Kleinsmith | ☎ (053) 838 1707