South African Local Government Association (SALGA) Graduate Development Programme 2026/2027
South African Local Government Association (SALGA)
Public Service (PSETA)
More South African Local Government Association (SALGA) posts →Monthly stipend
R6500/month
Closing date
14 Sept 2026
3 days left
- Opportunity
- Internship
- Minimum education
- Postgraduate (NQF 8+)
- Location
- Eastern Cape
- NQF level
- NQF 7
- SETA
- LGSETA
- Posted
- 11 Sept 2026
Sourced via the GovPage vacancy bulletin, last confirmed there by our scraper on 11 September 2026.
The apply link goes directly to cvspaces.co.za — applications never pass through SetaJobs.
We rewrite adverts for readability; the closing date, requirements and application method come from the source advert — confirm them there before you apply. How we source listings →
How this stipend compares
At R6 500 a month, this listing sits in the 9th percentile — it pays more than 9% of the 16 comparable listings for internships nationally that are open right now.
- 25th percentile
- R7 750
- Median
- R8 125
- 75th percentile
- R9 250
Calculated by SetaJobs from 16 live internships nationally that publish a stipend. Amounts quoted per week or per year are converted to a monthly equivalent. See the full stipend benchmarks for how pay varies by sector and province.
Opportunity Overview
The South African Local Government Association (SALGA) invites unemployed, suitably qualified graduates to join its Graduate Development Programme. This is a twelve-month programme running from 2026 to 2027, designed to provide young professionals with meaningful workplace exposure and structured development.
This programme offers the opportunity to contribute to initiatives that support and strengthen local government across South Africa. Participants will gain practical workplace experience and professional development within SALGA, enhancing their technical, professional, and workplace competencies for future employability.
Minimum Requirements
Applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Be a South African Citizen.
- Be an unemployed graduate who has not previously participated in a similar graduate development programme.
- Hold a recognised qualification relevant to one of the advertised opportunities below:
- Eastern Cape - Municipal Sustainability: Bachelor’s Degree/Diploma in Town and Regional Planning (NQF 7 or 8) OR Bachelor’s Degree in Development Planning / Environmental Management (NQF 7 or 8).
- Eastern Cape - Inclusive Communities: National Diploma (NQF 6) or Bachelor’s Degree (NQF 7) in Public Administration / Public Management / Development Studies / Social Work / Social Sciences.
- Eastern Cape - Economic Growth and Investment: Postgraduate Diploma in Local Economic Development.
- Free State - HR LR And Dispute Resolution: National Diploma (NQF 6) or Bachelor’s Degree (NQF 7) in Human Resource Management.
- Free State - Inclusive Communities: National Diploma (NQF 6) or Bachelor’s Degree (NQF 7) in Public Administration / Public Management / Development Studies.
- Free State - Communication And Marketing: National Diploma (NQF 6) or Bachelor’s Degree (NQF 7) in Marketing / Communication / Media Studies.
- Free State - Municipal Sustainability: National Diploma / B Tech / B Degree, Honours Degree in Environmental Management / Science or related field OR National Diploma / BTech / B Degree / Honours qualification in Disaster Management, Public Safety, Fire Technology, Environmental Studies.
- Gauteng - Economic Development: Bachelor’s Degree in Economics, Local Economic Development, Development Studies, or Postgraduate studies in Economic Development or Planning.
- Gauteng - Trading Services: Bachelor’s Degree in Water and Sanitation Science, Hydrology, Environmental Management, Civil Engineering, or Chemical Engineering.
- Gauteng - Financial Resilience: Bachelor’s Degree or National Diploma (NQF Level 6/7) in Economics, Accounting, Finance, Internal Auditing, or Risk Management.
- Gauteng - Built Environment And Planning: Bachelor’s Degree / Diploma in Town and Regional Planning (NQF 7 or 8).
- Gauteng - Municipal Sustainability: National Diploma or Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Management, Environmental Science, Natural Sciences, or Geography OR National Diploma or Degree in Disaster Management, Public Administration, or Development Studies OR National Diploma or Degree in Waste Management, Environmental Science, Environmental Health, or Chemical Engineering.
Key Responsibilities
As a participant in the Graduate Development Programme, you will be expected to:
- Support discipline programmes and projects through research, analysis, administration, and project-related activities.
- Apply your academic knowledge to real workplace challenges within SALGA.
What the Work Involves
This programme provides an opportunity to contribute directly to SALGA's mission of supporting and strengthening local government. You will be actively involved in supporting various programmes and projects across different disciplines. This includes conducting research, performing data analysis, handling administrative tasks, and assisting with project-related activities.
You will apply your academic knowledge to solve practical challenges and will gain exposure to the local government sector and various stakeholder engagements. The programme positions are based in different Provinces and Clusters, offering a diverse working environment.
How to Apply
To apply for the SALGA Graduate Development Programme, please follow these steps:
- Visit the SALGA career portal by clicking on the link below.
- Follow the instructions on the platform to create your profile and submit your application.
This listing in context
What the 334 opportunities we currently hold say about this one.
- Live internships
- 71
- In Eastern Cape
- 1
- Closing within 7 days
- 1
10% of the 71 live internships we hold ask for Postgraduate (NQF 8+). The commonest requirement is Degree (NQF 7), at 69%.
Live internships stay open for a median of 41 days between posting and closing date.
Calculated by SetaJobs from the 334 listings open on this site right now, and updated as they change. Browse all 17 opportunities in Eastern Cape.
What you'll need to apply
Internships usually ask for your completed qualification up front — that is the thing being checked.
- Your CV
- Certified copy of your ID
- Certified copies of any qualifications
- A short motivation letter
What an internship actually is
An internship is a fixed-term work-experience placement for someone who already holds a qualification. Unlike a learnership, it does not award a new qualification — its purpose is to convert a certificate, diploma or degree into the experience that entry-level adverts keep asking for. In the public service these run for a set term and are generally not renewable.
How internships work: the week, the qualification and where it leads →Watch out for this
Government internships are usually once-only: having completed one, you may be ineligible for another. Check the advert's exclusion clause before applying if you have interned before.
About LGSETA & this sector
LGSETA supports skills in municipalities and local government, where many entry-level and administrative learnerships are hosted.
