If you are applying for a government job, internship or traineeship in South Africa, the Z83 form is the first document the employer looks at. It is also the first thing that can get your application thrown out. Every year, applicants with good qualifications are rejected for simple reasons: the wrong form, a blank section, a missing signature or a wrong reference number.

This guide explains what the Z83 is, which version you must use, exactly what goes into each part, and how to avoid the mistakes that get applications rejected. The examples use a real type of post, a Library Internship at Ekurhuleni West TVET College, so you can see what a correctly filled-in form looks like.

WHAT THE Z83 FORM IS AND WHO NEEDS IT

The Z83 is the official Application for Employment form used across the South African public service. It is issued by the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) and is required for posts in national and provincial government departments. Other public institutions, including TVET colleges such as Ekurhuleni West, also ask for it in their adverts.

The form works as a standard screening tool. Panels use it to compare candidates on the same fields. Your CV then provides the detail behind it. You need both documents, and sending only one makes your application incomplete.

Private companies do not use the Z83. Some municipalities and state-owned companies use their own forms, so always read the advert to see what it asks for.

WHICH VERSION TO USE AND WHERE TO GET IT

Use only the new Z83 that took effect on 1 January 2021. Applications on the old version are not accepted, and many adverts, including the Ekurhuleni West adverts, say plainly that old forms lead to disqualification. Check the form you have: it should be marked "Effective 01 January 2021".

You can get the form from:

- The DPSA website (dpsa.gov.za), which has an editable PDF
- The vacancy page of the employer, which often links to it under "Apply Now"
- Any Public Service Department
- Stationery shops and internet cafes, which print it cheaply

You never need to pay for the form itself. Treat unofficial copies forwarded on WhatsApp with caution, because they are often outdated.

Download or collect a fresh copy for every job. Each Z83 is for one post only, because the reference number you write on it belongs to that post. Photocopying one filled-in form for several jobs will get you rejected.

WHAT TO HAVE READY BEFORE YOU START

Collect everything first so you can complete the form in one sitting and avoid mistakes:

- The advert, with the exact post title, reference number, institution and campus
- Your ID document (name and ID number exactly as printed)
- Your qualifications, with the institution names and years completed
- Your work history, including dates, employers and main duties
- Names, phone numbers and email addresses of your referees, if the advert asks for them
- Your completed, up-to-date CV

If you are filling it in by hand, use black ink and write clearly in block letters. If you are typing it, use the editable PDF. Either way, make sure it is legible, because a form the panel cannot read may be rejected.

HOW TO FILL IN EACH PART

The form is divided into lettered parts. Different guides label the later parts slightly differently, so follow the headings printed on your own copy. Below, each part is described by what it asks for.

Part A: Post details

Write the post you are applying for exactly as the advert states it, along with the reference number, the department or institution, and the location. Copy the reference number character for character. A wrong or missing reference number is one of the most common reasons for rejection, because HR uses it to sort applications.

Example for the Ekurhuleni West internship:
Post applied for: Library Internship
Reference number: EWC/TEM/13/2026
Institution: Ekurhuleni West TVET College
Campus: Tembisa

Part B: Personal details

Enter your surname, full names, ID number, date of birth, and the other personal details the form asks for, such as nationality and whether you have a disability. Write your names exactly as they appear on your ID and your qualification certificates. A mismatch between the form and your documents can cause problems when your details are verified.

If you have a disability, say so where the form asks. Many adverts, including Ekurhuleni West's, encourage people with disabilities to apply.

If you are not a South African citizen, use your passport number where the form asks for an ID number and be ready to show your work permit if you are shortlisted. Foreign qualifications generally need to be evaluated by SAQA (the South African Qualifications Authority) before they are recognised.

Part C: Contact details

Give your postal address, residential address, phone number and email address, and say how you prefer to be contacted. This part must be completed in full.

Use a phone number you answer and an email address you check every day. Shortlisting invitations often come with short notice, and applicants lose interviews because their number was wrong or their inbox was full. Use a professional email address such as your name and surname, not a nickname.

Part D: Language proficiency

List the languages you speak, read and write, and rate yourself as good, fair or poor for each one. This part must also be completed in full. Be honest, because panels can test language ability at an interview.

Example:
English: Speak: Good, Read: Good, Write: Good
isiZulu: Speak: Good, Read: Good, Write: Fair

Part E: Education and qualifications

List your highest qualification first and work back to your Matric. For each one, write the qualification name, the institution and the year you completed it.

Example:
National Diploma: Library and Information Science, [your institution], [year]
National Senior Certificate (Matric), [your school], [year]

The form has limited space. The DPSA has said that applicants may write "see attached CV" in Parts E, F and G, as long as the CV contains all the information the form requests. Use this only when you genuinely run out of space, and make sure the CV really does list every qualification with dates.

Part F: Work experience

List your most recent job first, with the employer, your position, the dates (month and year) and your main duties. For a first-time applicant, do not leave this empty. Include practical training, work-integrated learning, volunteering, part-time work and holiday jobs. If you have genuinely never worked, write that clearly, for example "No formal work experience", rather than leaving it blank.

This part of the form also contains questions about conditions that prevent re-appointment in the public service. Those questions must be answered. Do not skip them.

Part G and the declaration

The final part asks for further information and contains the declaration. The declaration typically asks you to answer yes or no to questions about criminal convictions, pending criminal or disciplinary cases, previous dismissals and any business dealings with the state. You then confirm that everything on the form is true, sign it and write the date.

An application where the form has not been signed and dated will not be considered. Sign in ink and date it with the actual day you sign.

ANSWERING THE DECLARATION QUESTIONS HONESTLY

If you have a criminal record, a pending case or a previous dismissal, say so. A record does not automatically rule you out, because it depends on the offence and the job. Hiding it is far more serious. Shortlisted candidates are put through vetting, which at Ekurhuleni West includes citizenship checks, criminal record checks, qualification verification, and social media and credit checks. A dishonest answer can get you disqualified, even after you have been shortlisted.

NEVER LEAVE A FIELD BLANK

If a question does not apply to you, write "N/A" (not applicable). Blank sections can lead to rejection, while "N/A" is acceptable. If you make a mistake, start again on a clean form instead of using correction fluid. Many guides also advise initialling each page, which is worth doing if your form has space for it.

WHAT TO SUBMIT WITH YOUR Z83

Always read the advert first, because employers ask for different documents.

Most adverts ask for the completed Z83 and a comprehensive CV. The Ekurhuleni West Library Internship, for example, asks for the new Z83 plus a CV with three contactable references and their email addresses, and copies of qualifications and academic transcripts. Only shortlisted candidates must then submit certified copies of qualifications, academic records, ID and driver's licence.

Some adverts are stricter. The college's Management Assistant Trainee advert asked for certified copies of the academic record, Matric certificate and ID at application stage, and said certification must not be older than six months. If an advert asks for certified copies, you must send them. If it does not, do not spend money certifying documents you have not been asked for.

Your CV should be up to date and consistent with the Z83. List every qualification and job with dates, and include your three referees with working phone numbers and email addresses. Tell your referees to expect a call. You can build a free ATS-friendly CV on BEmployed and download it as a PDF or Word document.

HOW TO SUBMIT

Follow the exact method in the advert. Ekurhuleni West accepts applications by email as one PDF, or by hand delivery or courier to the campus. Other departments only accept hand delivery, post or an online portal.

If you are emailing:
- Put everything in one PDF: Z83 first, then your CV, then any documents the advert asks for.
- Name the file clearly, for example Surname_Initials_ReferenceNumber.pdf.
- Put the post title and reference number in the subject line or on the application, as the advert instructs.
- Sign the form by hand, then scan it. Many departments still do not accept digital signatures unless the advert says so.

Send it a few days before the closing date. Late applications are not accepted, even by one day. Keep a copy of everything and a record of when you sent it. Also note that most employers say that if you hear nothing within 60 or 90 days after the closing date, your application was unsuccessful. For the Ekurhuleni West Library Internship, that period is 90 days.

TWELVE MISTAKES THAT GET APPLICATIONS REJECTED

1. Using the old Z83 instead of the version effective 1 January 2021.
2. Using one filled-in form for several posts.
3. Writing the wrong or incomplete reference number.
4. Leaving fields blank instead of writing "N/A".
5. Forgetting to sign and date the declaration.
6. Names that do not match your ID and qualifications.
7. Writing "see CV" in Parts A to D, where full answers are required.
8. Skipping the questions about re-appointment and the declaration questions.
9. Not attaching a CV, or attaching a CV that is missing dates or references.
10. Using the wrong submission method.
11. Sending an unreadable, scanned or crumpled form.
12. Applying after the closing date.

FINAL CHECKLIST

Before you submit, confirm each of these:

- It is the new Z83, marked effective 1 January 2021
- Post title and reference number match the advert exactly
- Parts A to D are completed in full, with "N/A" where needed
- "See attached CV" is used only where space is limited and your CV has the details
- The re-appointment and declaration questions are answered honestly
- The declaration is signed in ink and dated
- Your CV is attached, with three referees if the advert asks for them
- You included everything the advert asks for, and nothing it did not
- You are submitting by the method in the advert, before the closing date

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is the Z83 free?
Yes. It is free to download from the DPSA website. You only pay if you choose to print it at a shop.

Can I use the old Z83?
No. Only the version effective 1 January 2021 is accepted.

Do I need a new Z83 for every job?
Yes. Each form is for one post and carries that post's reference number.

Can I write "see CV" on the form?
Only where the DPSA allows it, in the education, work experience and further information parts, and only if your CV contains all the details. Parts A to D must be filled in completely.

Do I have to certify my documents when I apply?
Only if the advert asks for it. Many adverts only ask shortlisted candidates for certified copies.

Can I email my Z83?
Yes, if the advert says you can. Combine everything into one PDF and follow the advert's instructions for the subject line.

Can I sign the form digitally?
Some departments accept it, but many want a handwritten signature. The safest route is to print, sign by hand and scan.

What if I have no work experience?
Say so clearly, and list any practical training, volunteering or part-time work. Do not leave the section blank.

Does the Z83 replace my CV?
No. You need both.

Who do I send it to?
To the department or institution advertising the post, using the address or email in the advert. Never send applications to the DPSA.

What if I make a mistake on the form?
Start again on a clean copy. Avoid correction fluid and crossing out.

Ready to apply? Browse the latest government jobs, internships, learnerships and bursaries on BEmployed, and use our free CV builder to prepare the CV that goes with your Z83.