The Department of Transport has opened applications for its 2027/2029 Internship Programme and a set of Work Integrated Learning placements, and this year’s list is unusually wide. The posts stretch across administration, finance, IT, human resources, aviation, maritime, rail, public transport and transport planning — so it’s worth reading past the department’s name before you decide it isn’t for you.
Graduate internships run for 24 months on a stated stipend of R8,174.75, which the department says is pegged to each intern’s qualifications — the higher the qualification, the higher the stipend. The Work Integrated Learning (WIL) placements run 18 months and pay R6,131 a month. Most posts sit at the Pretoria Head Office, and everything closes on 9 October 2026.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Department | Department of Transport |
| Programme | Internship Programme 2027/2029 |
| Graduate internship | 24 months, R8,174.75 (per qualification) |
| WIL | 18 months, R6,131 per month |
| Main location | Pretoria Head Office |
| Closing date | 9 October 2026 |
| Graduate applications | [email protected] |
| Public Transport applications | [email protected] |
| WIL applications | [email protected] |
Not just for transport graduates
The programme reaches far beyond transport degrees. If you studied IT, accounting, human resources, law, environmental management, economics or public administration, there’s likely a post on the list with your qualification attached to it. The catch is that the department is strict about the match: applicants must have satisfied the academic requirements for the specific advertised field, so this isn’t a case of applying for anything broadly transport-flavoured.
Below is how the graduate posts break down, with reference numbers, since you’ll need the exact one on your Z83.
Administration and strategic planning
Two Administration Intern posts sit under the Office of the Ministry (DOT/GRAD/2026/01), asking for a bachelor’s degree in public administration, political science, international relations, public affairs or management. A Strategic Planning & Monitoring and Cluster Coordinators post (DOT/GRAD/2026/03) takes a degree or National Diploma in public management, administration, strategic planning, management, or monitoring and evaluation. Both run 24 months.
Finance, accounting and supply chain
- Internal Control and Compliance Intern (DOT/GRAD/2026/02) — financial accounting, accounting or internal auditing
- Financial Administration Intern (DOT/GRAD/2026/20) — financial management, accounting, public finance, or cost and management accounting
- Supply Chain Management Intern (DOT/GRAD/2026/21) — two posts — supply chain management, logistics or procurement management
IT and technology
Three technology posts within Corporate Services, all 24 months at Pretoria Head Office:
- Business Intelligence (Database Administration) Intern — DOT/GRAD/2026/06
- IT Infrastructure Intern — DOT/GRAD/2026/07
- Business Systems (Web Development) Intern — DOT/GRAD/2026/08
They ask for a National Diploma or degree in IT, computer science or informatics, with relevant postgraduate qualifications also recognised.
Human resources
- Labour Relations Intern — DOT/GRAD/2026/09
- HR Recruitment and Selection Intern — DOT/GRAD/2026/10
- HR Administration Intern — DOT/GRAD/2026/11
- HR Development and PMDS Intern — DOT/GRAD/2026/19 (four posts)
Accepted qualifications, depending on the post, run across HR management, labour relations, labour law, industrial relations, industrial psychology and HR development.
Legal and organisational development
The Corporate Legal Intern post (DOT/GRAD/2026/04) wants Grade 12 plus an LLB, BA Law or a postgraduate law qualification. Alongside it, the department is recruiting interns in organisational development, change management, employee health and wellness, GIS, travel services, facilities management and environmental coordination — with qualifications ranging from industrial engineering and operations management to geography, environmental management, tourism and public administration.
Road, maritime and aviation
Road transport:
- Road Transport Research, Policy, Standards and Guidelines Intern (DOT/GRAD/2026/22) — National Diploma in Civil Engineering
- Road Safety Intern (DOT/GRAD/2026/23) — road traffic safety management, traffic policing, civil engineering, transport management or planning, data analytics
- Road Accident and Incident Investigation Intern (DOT/GRAD/2026/24) — civil or mechanical engineering, or road crash investigation
Maritime:
- Maritime Security Intern (DOT/GRAD/2026/25)
- Maritime Industry Development Intern (DOT/GRAD/2026/26)
- Qualifications span maritime security management, maritime studies, shipping and logistics, transport management, logistics and economics
Aviation:
- Aviation Multilateral Affairs Intern (DOT/GRAD/2026/27)
- Air Transport Intern (DOT/GRAD/2026/28)
- Aviation Industry Development and Airfreight Intern (DOT/GRAD/2026/29)
- Accepted fields include air transport management, transport management, logistics, economics, aeronautical studies, flight dispatch and aviation management
Public transport, rail and transport economics
Public Transport Network Development has two posts (DOT/GRAD/2026/30 and /31) for National Diploma or degree holders in transport management, transport economics, or transport and logistics.
Rail transport:
- Rail Infrastructure and Industry Development Intern — DOT/GRAD/2026/32
- Rail Service Delivery Intern: Rail Operations — DOT/GRAD/2026/33
- Rail Safety Regulation Intern — DOT/GRAD/2026/34
- Rail Policy and Strategic Development Intern — DOT/GRAD/2026/35
- Fields include transport management and economics, logistics, engineering, law, and town and regional planning
Economics and logistics:
- Modelling and Macroeconomic Analysis Intern (DOT/GRAD/2026/36) — economics, econometrics, statistics or transport economics
- Freight Logistics Intern (DOT/GRAD/2026/37) — transport management, transport economics, logistics, transport and logistics management, data analysis
- Black Economic Empowerment Intern (DOT/GRAD/2026/38) — transport management, economics, business administration, law, logistics
Public entity finance and governance (Soc-Gap branch):
- Public Entity Finance Intern (DOT/GRAD/2026/39) — financial management, public finance, economics, accounting
- Governance Intern (DOT/GRAD/2026/41) — accounting, investment management, financial management, financial accounting
The province-named town planning posts — read carefully
There’s a set of Town Planning posts tied to public transport planning, listed against Limpopo, Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Western Cape, Northern Cape, Mpumalanga, North West, Free State and KwaZulu-Natal — two positions each, all 24 months. Requirements cover transport economics, transport planning, transport engineering, civil engineering or town and regional planning, plus relevant postgraduate qualifications.
Here’s the part not to miss: despite the provincial names, the vacancy information lists the centre as Pretoria Head Office. Don’t assume the job is in the province in the title. Applications for these go to [email protected].
The N6 Work Integrated Learning posts
These 18-month placements are for N6 certificate holders rather than degree graduates, and pay R6,131 a month.
| Position | Ref | Posts | Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administration | DOT/WIL/2026/1 | 4 | N6 office administration, public management, administration, public administration or business management |
| HR Management and Development | DOT/WIL/2026/2 | 5 | N6 human resource management or personnel management |
| Legal Services | DOT/WIL/2026/3 | 1 | N6 legal services or legal practice |
| Financial Administration | DOT/WIL/2026/4 | 2 | N6 financial administration or financial management |
| Administration | DOT/WIL/2026/5 | 2 | N6 financial administration or financial management |
| Maritime Transport Administrative Support | DOT/WIL/2026/6 | 1 | N6 public management, public administration or business management |
The eligibility rules that trip people up
Two conditions deserve a close read. If you’ve already done a Department of Transport internship, you’ll be disqualified. And if the department later finds you took part in an internship at another government department or state entity, your appointment can be terminated. Be upfront about any previous internship participation.
All appointments are subject to verification — educational qualifications, previous experience, citizenship, references and security vetting.
How to apply
Use the new Z83 form with a comprehensive CV, and make sure the Z83 names the post and reference number. Then send it to the right channel:
- Graduate internships: [email protected]
- Public Transport posts: [email protected]
- Work Integrated Learning: [email protected]
Postal and hand-delivery options are also available — Private Bag X193, Pretoria 0001, or hand-delivered to 159 Forum Building, corner Struben and Bosman Streets, Pretoria. Applying for more than one field? Submit a separate Z83 and set of documents for each field, using the relevant address. Don’t fire one blanket application at every address.
A separate erratum worth flagging
The supplied notice also carries an erratum for three senior Department of Transport posts advertised in Public Service Vacancy Circular 33 of 2026. Those posts went out with an incorrect e-recruitment email address; the corrected e-recruitment address is erecruit.transport.gov.za, and their corrected closing date is Friday, 9 October 2026. This applies only to those three senior vacancies — don’t confuse it with the separate internship and WIL email addresses above.
Closing date and follow-up
Applications close on 9 October 2026. The department will only correspond with shortlisted candidates, so if you haven’t heard back within six months of the closing date, treat your application as unsuccessful.
Before you send
- New Z83 completed, with the correct post and reference number
- Comprehensive CV attached
- Your qualification actually matches the advertised field
- Correct email address for that stream
- A separate Z83 for each additional field
- Previous government internship participation considered honestly
- Submitted before 9 October 2026
And the standard caution: government internships are free to apply for. Anyone asking for payment to “secure” a place is running a scam — stick to the official channels in the notice.
Source: Based on the Department of Transport’s supplied 2027/2029 Internship Programme and Work Integrated Learning vacancy information, including the individual post references, qualifications, stipends, application addresses, erratum and closing date.
Editorial policy: Our careers reporting aims to help South African jobseekers understand public-sector vacancies and application requirements clearly. We separate official recruitment information from general application guidance and don’t add salaries, qualifications, deadlines or eligibility rules the vacancy information doesn’t support. Where several application channels exist, we spell out which one applies to which group of posts.
Corrections policy: If an error is identified, we compare the information with the relevant vacancy circular or an authoritative departmental source and correct confirmed factual errors promptly, flagging significant ones where appropriate.
Disclaimer: Meeting the stated requirements doesn’t guarantee shortlisting, appointment or placement. All appointments remain subject to the department’s recruitment procedures, including the verification and security checks in the notice. Verify the latest vacancy information before submitting personal documents.
Closing date: 9 October 2026 | Graduate internship: 24 months, R8,174.75 | WIL: 18 months, R6,131/month
