Mpumalanga Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport

About the department

The Mpumalanga Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport is a provincial government department. It builds and maintains provincial roads and government buildings, and it oversees public transport in the province. Its head office is in the Rhino Building at 7 Government Boulevard, Riverside Park, Mbombela. The department also looks after provincial government buildings and offices, so its work includes maintenance, property management and construction projects. Roads matter a great deal in Mpumalanga. Trucks carry coal, timber, citrus and other goods across the province, and tourists drive to places such as the Kruger National Park. As a result, the department needs engineers, planners and skilled tradespeople to keep this network working.

Learnerships and skills programmes

The department runs learnerships and short skills programmes for unemployed youth. In its 2023 and 2024 round, it offered five programmes for 500 learners. Short courses in construction road works and solar panel installation lasted three months and paid a stipend of R1,500. Twelve-month learnerships in plumbing, bricklaying and construction road works paid R2,500. Learnerships mix classroom learning with practical work, so participants earn a recognised qualification while they gain experience on site.

Those opportunities were open to unemployed young people with a matric certificate. Women and people with disabilities were encouraged to apply. Applicants used the government Z83 form and attached certified copies of their ID and matric results. They handed the papers in at district offices in Bohlabela, Ehlanzeni, Gert Sibande and Nkangala. These skills can lead to jobs with contractors or municipalities, or to self-employment, even though a place in a programme does not guarantee a permanent post.

Bursaries and what to know before applying

The department has also advertised bursaries. These have covered study from undergraduate level up to master's. They target scarce and critical skills such as civil and structural engineering, mechanical and electrical engineering, quantity surveying, transport planning and asset management. In past notices, both current employees and prospective employees could apply.

The bursary is not an open call every year. The department publishes notices when funds and posts allow, usually through its website and provincial advertisements. Details such as closing dates, income limits and work-back conditions change from round to round. For example, the learnership round mentioned above closed in November 2023. Therefore, you should not rely on old dates.

Before you apply, check the official department website for current notices. Use the correct form, certify every document, and deliver your application to the office named in the advert. Finally, be wary of anyone who asks for payment, since government departments do not charge for bursary or learnership applications. Keep a copy of your submission and note the date you handed it in. Provincial offices can tell you which documents they accept.