CV format in South Africa

How long should a CV be in South Africa?

Two pages is the usual length. UCT Careers Service says CVs “are typically two pages, but employers may request otherwise”, and Vodacom and Anglo American set two pages as the maximum. Michael Page, a recruiter, says never more than three, and Rhodes allows four for experienced people. If an advert names a page count, follow it.

None of the official or university guides sets a date format, so pick one style and keep it consistent, as the KZN Government guide asks.

What personal details go on a South African CV?

This is where sources disagree most. gov.za lists date and country of birth, identity number, sex, marital status and state of health, and the Labour sample CV adds “Criminal record: None”. Newer guides drop most of that. UCT says details such as date of birth, race, religion, marital status and health have “a potential to expose your application to discrimination”, and TS Recruitment warns that “Identity theft is a serious concern in South Africa”.

The law doesn’t mention CVs, but it explains the caution. The Employment Equity Act bans unfair discrimination on grounds including race, age, marital status and religion, and it covers job applicants. POPIA treats religion, race and health as special personal information, which an employer may process only on limited grounds such as consent.

• Put your full name, mobile number, email address, and your town or city with the province.
• Add your driver’s licence code, such as Code B or EB (the old Code 08).
• Add nationality or work permit status only if you are not a South African citizen.
• Leave off religion, race, health, marital status and date of birth, and your ID number unless asked.

Should you put a photo on a CV in South Africa?

No, unless the employer asks for one. UCT says “Do not include a photograph, unless requested by the employer to include it,” and the Western Cape and KZN governments and Anglo American say much the same. Michael Page, a recruiter, calls photos “not necessary”. Only the Labour department’s older booklets call a photo optional, and the Z83 has no photo field. If an advert does ask, use one of the photo templates.

What else should a South African CV include?

Start with contact details and an optional short profile, then education and work experience, then skills, languages and referees, most recent first in each section. UCT says students and recent graduates should put education first.

UCT says “There is no need to list your school subjects”, while the Labour job-seeking booklet asks for subjects and symbols. Public service adverts state NQF levels, but none of the guides checked tells you to write them on a CV.

• List matric as the National Senior Certificate, with the school and the year.
• List each language with how well you speak, read and write it.
• Name any professional registration, such as SACNASP or HPCSA, with the date and number.
• Mention a SAQA evaluation if you hold a foreign qualification and apply for public service posts.

Should you list referees on a South African CV?

For public service posts, yes. Adverts in the DPSA vacancy circular ask for a CV “with three contactable referees”, with phone numbers and email addresses.

Private-sector advice splits. UCT advises against “Referees on request” because it adds a step for recruiters, while Standard Bank and the recruiters Michael Page and TS Recruitment say offering references on request is enough. The example here lists two named referees, following UCT. Pick people who know your work and leave out family, as UCT and the Labour department’s Z83 tips advise.

How do you send a CV in South Africa?

For private-sector jobs, send a one-page cover letter with the CV, as gov.za and UCT advise (see how to format a cover letter). Employers such as Vodacom take applications through their careers portal. Government and university guides prefer PDF, while PNet, a job board, prefers Word.

Public service posts use a fixed package. Send the current Z83, completed and signed, with a detailed CV by email, by hand, by post or through a provincial e-recruitment portal such as KZN’s. DPSA’s Circular 03 of 2025 tells selection committees to read the CV alongside the Z83, and the vacancy circular does not mention a cover letter.

• Use the latest Z83, because DPSA disqualifies applications on an older form.
• Sign and date the form, since the Labour department treats an unsigned one as an immediate disqualification.
• Use one Z83 per post, and never fax it.
• Send certified copies of qualifications only once you are shortlisted.

Writing your South African CV in OneCV

OneCV’s CV maker uses A4 by default, and Page Format in the Document card switches to US Letter. Page breaks show in the live preview as you type, so you can see when the CV runs past two pages. Any heading can be renamed, so References can read Referees.

Optional fields such as Driving License or Nationality appear only when you add them with “Add details”, and a photo appears only if you add one. The free plan includes one CV, one cover letter and unlimited PDF downloads with no watermark across all 105 templates, with no card needed. Pro costs $10 a month or $48 a year. The ATS resume checker shows the text a parser reads from your PDF.