General Worker: Civil Maintenance Jobs at Department of Water and Sanitation – 5 Posts
The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) is inviting applications for five General Worker: Civil Maintenance positions in the Western Cape.
The posts are based at Breede/Gouritz in Worcester and fall under the Department’s Infrastructure Management: Southern Operations branch.
The position is suited to candidates who meet the minimum ABET Certificate requirement and are interested in practical maintenance, cleaning, gardening, grounds work and general labouring activities.
Previous experience in manual work is listed as an added advantage, while higher qualifications may also benefit applicants.
The advertised salary is R144,024 per annum at Salary Level 02.
Applications must be submitted online, with the stated closing date being 5 October 2026.
Job Details
| Vacancy Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Department | Department of Water and Sanitation |
| Position | General Worker: Civil Maintenance |
| Number of Posts | 5 |
| Reference Number | 051026/24 |
| Post Number | 34/190 |
| Branch | Infrastructure Management: Southern Operations |
| Chief Directorate | Water Resources Infrastructure Operations and Maintenance |
| Directorate | Operations Southern |
| Centre | Breede/Gouritz, Worcester, Western Cape |
| Salary | R144,024 per annum |
| Salary Level | Level 02 |
| Minimum Qualification | ABET Certificate |
| Experience | Manual-work experience is an added advantage |
| Closing Date | 5 October 2026 |
| Application Method | Online |
Minimum Requirements
Applicants are required to have an ABET Certificate.
The advertisement also indicates that higher qualifications will be considered an added advantage.
Previous experience performing manual work is likewise listed as an advantage. Therefore, the supplied requirements do not identify previous manual-work experience as a compulsory minimum requirement.
Applicants should provide accurate information about their qualifications and experience when completing the application.
Knowledge and Competencies
Candidates should have basic knowledge relevant to general maintenance and outdoor work.
This may include:
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General workplace duties.
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Handling equipment and appliances.
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Lawn and garden maintenance.
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Pruning and trimming techniques.
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Planting practices.
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Safe use of chemical products.
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Chemical dilution and mixing.
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Routine equipment and machinery maintenance.
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Water utilisation.
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Water-resource management concepts.
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Health and safety procedures.
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Basic government legislation.
A willingness to learn and follow workplace procedures is also important for a practical maintenance position of this nature.
Working Environment
The position involves practical work that may take place in and around various water-resource and infrastructure environments.
Successful candidates should be prepared to work in or near:
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Rivers.
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Dams.
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Canals.
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Confined spaces.
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Outdoor grounds and infrastructure areas.
Applicants should consider the physical nature of the work and the working environment before submitting an application.
Duties and Responsibilities
1. Perform General Assistant Duties
The successful candidates will provide general assistance in support of the Department’s infrastructure management and maintenance activities.
The work is practical and may involve a range of indoor and outdoor tasks.
2. Load and Offload Equipment and Goods
General Workers may assist with loading and unloading furniture, equipment and other goods.
Items may need to be moved to designated locations as required.
This means applicants should be comfortable with routine manual work.
3. Clean Vehicles, Machinery and Equipment
Successful candidates may assist with cleaning government vehicles, machinery and other equipment.
Keeping equipment clean can support the efficient operation and maintenance of departmental resources.
4. Maintain Work Areas
Workers will help keep designated workstations and other working areas clean and orderly.
This may include offices, buildings, operational areas and other departmental facilities.
5. Maintain Lawns and Trees
The position includes grounds and garden maintenance.
Tasks may include:
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Maintaining lawns.
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Pruning trees.
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Trimming vegetation.
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Removing unwanted vegetation.
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General grounds maintenance.
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Supporting gardening activities.
6. Maintain Grounds and Canals
Workers may be required to clean and maintain grounds, canals and other areas associated with departmental infrastructure.
Some of this work may be performed outdoors and close to water facilities.
7. Assist With Repairs to Tools and Structures
General Workers may assist with the maintenance and repair of tools and structures.
Work may involve buildings, fences, canal areas, dams, benches and other departmental facilities.
Depending on the task and applicable procedures, workers may use hand tools or power tools.
8. Mix and Apply Chemicals
The position may involve preparing and applying products such as sprays and fertilisers.
Equipment used for application may include hand sprayers, atomic sprayers and spreaders.
Chemical products must be handled and applied in accordance with relevant instructions and workplace health and safety procedures.
9. Maintain Sidewalks, Driveways and Parking Areas
The successful candidates may assist with maintaining:
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Sidewalks.
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Driveways.
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Parking areas.
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Planters.
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Other outdoor features.
The objective is to help keep departmental premises clean, safe and well maintained.
10. Maintain Gardens and Grounds
Workers will assist with caring for existing gardens, plants and trees.
Duties may include routine garden maintenance and planting activities.
11. Rake and Mulch Leaves
General Workers may be required to rake leaves and assist with mulching activities.
These duties contribute to the general upkeep of outdoor areas.
12. Irrigate Plants and Lawns
Workers may assist with watering and irrigating lawns, plants and garden areas as part of routine grounds maintenance.
13. Sweep Walkways and Grounds
Walkways and other outdoor areas must be kept clean.
Duties may include sweeping, removing debris and maintaining neat surroundings.
14. Clean Departmental Buildings
The position also includes basic building-cleaning activities.
This may involve sweeping and washing floors and maintaining the cleanliness of designated facilities.
15. Perform General Labouring Work
Successful applicants will perform labouring duties in support of the maintenance, repair and construction of departmental infrastructure.
The work may be physically demanding and can involve prolonged periods of outdoor or manual activity.
16. Assist With Water-Supply Infrastructure
General Workers may assist with cleaning and maintenance activities involving water infrastructure such as:
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Canals.
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Drains.
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Dams.
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Pipelines.
These activities support the maintenance and operation of departmental water infrastructure.
17. Assist With Building Repairs
Workers may also assist with repairs and general maintenance of departmental buildings.
Duties are expected to be performed according to workplace procedures and, where applicable, under appropriate supervision.
Willingness to Travel and Work Away From Home
Applicants should take note that the vacancy requires successful candidates to be willing to work away from home.
The advertisement indicates that employees may also be required to perform duties at schemes throughout the Western Cape.
Candidates should therefore consider whether they can meet the travel and work-location requirements before applying.
Salary
The advertised salary for the position is:
R144,024 per annum
The position is classified at Salary Level 02.
The supplied vacancy information gives the annual salary and does not specify a separate monthly salary.
Is Previous Work Experience Required?
Previous experience in manual work is described as an added advantage.
Based on the supplied advertisement, it is therefore not stated as a compulsory minimum requirement.
Applicants who have previous experience can highlight relevant duties on their CV, particularly experience involving:
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General labour.
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Cleaning.
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Gardening.
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Grounds maintenance.
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Basic tools.
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Equipment handling.
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Manual work.
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Following safety procedures.
Applicants without formal work experience should not provide inaccurate information. Instead, they should focus on genuine skills and abilities that are relevant to the position.
Qualification Requirement
The stated minimum qualification is an ABET Certificate.
Higher qualifications are listed as an added advantage.
Applicants should accurately record their highest completed qualification when completing the online application and provide supporting documentation if requested.
How to Apply
Applications for the General Worker: Civil Maintenance vacancies must be submitted online through the Department of Water and Sanitation’s recruitment system.
Applicants should carefully follow the instructions in the official vacancy advertisement and ensure that the required information and supporting documents are submitted before the closing date.
Application Deadline
Closing date: 5 October 2026
Applicants are encouraged to submit their applications before the deadline rather than waiting until the final day.
Important Information for Applicants
Before applying, candidates should make sure they understand the main conditions of the position:
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Five posts are available.
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The minimum qualification is an ABET Certificate.
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Manual-work experience is an added advantage.
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The salary is R144,024 per annum.
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The position is at Salary Level 02.
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The centre is Breede/Gouritz in Worcester, Western Cape.
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The work involves general maintenance and manual labour.
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Duties may take place around dams, canals, rivers and other infrastructure.
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Applicants must be willing to work away from home.
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Candidates may be required to work at schemes throughout the Western Cape.
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Applications must be submitted online.
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The stated closing date is 5 October 2026.
Final Summary
The Department of Water and Sanitation has advertised five General Worker: Civil Maintenance posts at Breede/Gouritz in Worcester, Western Cape.
The position requires an ABET Certificate, while higher qualifications and previous manual-work experience are listed as advantages. The successful candidates will support a wide range of maintenance activities, including cleaning, gardening, grounds maintenance, infrastructure upkeep, equipment handling and general labouring work.
The advertised salary is R144,024 per annum, and applications close on 5 October 2026.
Applicants should carefully review the official Department of Water and Sanitation vacancy notice and online application instructions before submitting their applications.
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