The South African Revenue Service (SARS) invites applications for the Customs & Excise Cadet Learnership Programme, offering 80 opportunities on a 12-month contract. The programme is designed to provide young South Africans with practical workplace exposure, develop relevant administrative and operational skills, and introduce successful candidates to the Customs and Excise environment.

The opportunity is suitable for candidates who meet the stated education, experience, age and operational requirements and are interested in developing a career within a customs and excise environment.

Position Details

Position: Customs & Excise Cadet Learnership Programme
Number of Positions: 80
Contract: 12 months
Requisition ID: 11620
Posted: 23 September 2026
Closing Date: 30 September 2026
Division: Customs Border Ports of Entry
Reports To: Operations Manager / Customs Manager

Locations

Successful candidates may be placed at various SARS Customs operational environments across South Africa. The advertised locations and available positions include:

• Johannesburg – Alberton: 1
• OR Tambo International Airport: 14
• Lanseria International Airport: 3
• Doringkloof Hub: 2
• Port Elizabeth: 1
• Durban Harbour: 10
• Durban Hub: 4
• Richards Bay Hub: 3
• King Shaka International Airport: 1
• Groblersbridge Border Post: 1
• Beitbridge Border Post: 1
• Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport: 1
• Oshoek Border Post: 1
• Lebombo Border Post: 16
• Kopfontein Border Post: 3
• Cape Town Harbour: 8
• Cape Town International Airport: 10

Applicants should therefore be prepared to work at the location allocated by SARS and should carefully consider the requirement for national deployment.

Purpose of the Programme

The Customs & Excise Cadet Learnership Programme provides a structured 12-month learning journey aimed at developing practical experience and workplace skills relevant to Customs and Excise operations.

Cadets will gain exposure to operational and administrative processes while working under established procedures and guidelines. The programme is intended to help participants develop their knowledge, workplace capabilities and understanding of Customs and Excise operations.

Successful candidates will be expected to complete the required learning activities and contribute to the effective delivery of operational tasks during the contract period.

Minimum Requirements

Applicants must meet the minimum requirements specified for the position.

Qualification

Candidates must have:

• NQF Level 4
• Mathematics and/or Accounting as part of the qualification requirements

Work Experience

Candidates must have at least one year of experience in one or more of the following environments:

• Administration
• Logistics
• Customer service

The experience should provide applicants with exposure to workplace processes, administrative responsibilities, customer interaction or operational support.

Citizenship

Applicants must be South African citizens.

Driver’s Licence

• A valid Code B or EB driver’s licence is required.

Age Requirement

• The programme specifically targets young people. Applicants must be between 18 and 35 years old.

Computer Skills

Applicants must be computer literate and proficient in using Microsoft Office applications.

Additional Operational Requirements

The position involves working in Customs operational environments, and applicants should be prepared to meet the operational demands of the programme.

Candidates must be willing to:

• Work shifts where operational requirements require it.
• Work weekends and public holidays.
• Work overtime when required.
• Be deployed nationally.
• Work at airports, seaports, land border posts and inland operational offices.
• Work at remote border-post locations where required.
• Undergo security screening.
• Undergo criminal record checks.
• Have qualifications verified.
• Participate in integrity assessments.
• Work in an operational environment.
• Meet the physical requirements associated with the position.

Applicants should understand that placement may not necessarily be close to their current residential area.

Customs & Excise Knowledge

A basic overview of the Customs & Excise environment is listed as a minimum functional requirement.

Candidates should therefore have an understanding of the general purpose of Customs and Excise operations and the type of environment in which SARS performs its functions.

The programme will provide practical exposure and learning opportunities, but applicants should still demonstrate an interest in and basic understanding of the operational environment.

Duties and Responsibilities

Successful candidates will perform a range of administrative and operational support duties.

Responsibilities include applying relevant systems accurately and processing information in accordance with established procedures.

Cadets will assist with administrative tasks within the relevant division and attend to information requests by identifying the appropriate department or source for the required information.

The role also involves communicating transactional outputs and queries to the appropriate parties and working towards agreed performance objectives and service-level requirements.

Candidates will be expected to maintain accurate records of completed work, monitor the progress of assigned activities and provide reports on transactional activity when required.

Other responsibilities include:

• Following established procedures and guidelines.
• Maintaining accurate information and records.
• Identifying and analysing requested information.
• Resolving basic queries within the required timeframe.
• Escalating unresolved queries and problems.
• Applying known solutions to routine problems.
• Planning and organising daily work.
• Meeting agreed performance objectives.
• Maintaining quality standards.
• Minimising errors in completed work.
• Supporting change initiatives.
• Following the individual learner activity manual.
• Keeping information and records up to date.
• Providing timely information for decision-making purposes.

Client Service Responsibilities

Cadets are expected to understand the service requirements associated with their duties and work towards meeting client expectations.

This requires appropriate communication, attention to queries and adherence to the procedures governing the relevant Customs and Excise environment.

Governance and Compliance

The position involves handling information that may be sensitive or confidential. Candidates must therefore comply with applicable governance, security and compliance requirements.

The advertised role includes exposure to GOC Confidential information, which can include sensitive information relating to national security or international relations, as well as confidential commercial and taxpayer information.

Candidates must handle information responsibly and comply with all applicable procedures concerning confidentiality and information security.

Successful candidates will also be required to undertake an oath of secrecy.

Skills and Competencies

SARS identifies a range of behavioural competencies relevant to the position.

These include:

• Accountability
• Commitment to continuous learning
• Conceptual ability
• Expertise in context
• Organisational awareness
• Fairness and transparency
• Honesty and integrity
• Trust
• Respect
• Attention to detail
• Analytical thinking

Candidates should be able to demonstrate responsible work practices, willingness to learn, attention to accuracy and the ability to work effectively with others.

Technical Competencies

The position also requires or develops knowledge in areas such as:

• Administrative support
• Business knowledge
• Data collection and analysis
• Efficiency improvement
• Functional policies and procedures
• Records and archive management
• Reporting
• Service delivery
• Standard operating procedure compliance
• Customs systems and products

Selection and Screening

Applicants should be aware that meeting the minimum requirements does not automatically result in appointment.

Successful candidates may be required to complete several stages of the recruitment and selection process, including:

• Pre-employment screening
• Case study
• Pre-assessment
• Psychometric assessment
• Vetting, where applicable
• Declaration of private interest
• Reference checks
• Security clearance, where applicable
• Qualification verification
• Criminal record checks
• Integrity assessments

The appointment will be subject to the applicable SARS recruitment, security and verification requirements.

Employment Equity

SARS states that its Employment Equity policy will be considered during the recruitment and selection process.

Persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Candidates should ensure that all information submitted during the application process is accurate, complete and supported by the required documentation.

Who Can Apply?

This opportunity may be suitable for South African citizens aged 18 to 35 who have an NQF Level 4 qualification with Mathematics and/or Accounting, at least one year of relevant administration, logistics or customer service experience, computer literacy and a valid Code B or EB driver’s licence.

Applicants must also be prepared for shift work, weekends, public holidays, overtime and possible deployment to different Customs operational environments across South Africa.

Closing Date

The application deadline is 30 September 2026.

Applicants interested in the SARS Customs & Excise Cadet Learnership Programme should submit their applications before the closing date and ensure that all information provided meets the requirements stated in the official vacancy advertisement.

Important: Carefully review the official SARS vacancy advertisement and application instructions before applying. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee selection or appointment.