Tradesman Aid – Department of Land Reform and Rural Development – Western Cape

The Department of Land Reform and Rural Development (DLRRD) is seeking a dependable, proactive, and highly practical individual to fill the permanent position of Tradesman Aid within the Directorate: Survey Services. Based in Mowbray, Cape Town (Western Cape), this entry-level public service post operates at an annual salary scale of R170 226 per annum (Public Service Salary Level 03).

This technical support post offers an excellent career entry point for job-seekers with a minimum of a Grade 10 qualification who possess strong hands-on capability, tool literacy, and mechanical awareness. The successful candidate will play a critical operational role in safeguarding high-value surveying implements, managing field camp logistics, and maintaining state vehicles and equipment to ensure seamless field survey campaigns across the region. Review the complete job profile, operational workflows, and application frameworks below to secure your opportunity.

Job Specification Overview

Job Specification Element	Position Details
Job Title	Tradesman Aid
Reference Number	REF NO: 3/1/1/1/2026/80
Hiring Department	Department of Land Reform and Rural Development (DLRRD)
Directorate Portfolio	Survey Services
Salary Package	R170 226 per annum (Public Service Level 03 Baseline Scale)
Primary Location	Mowbray, Cape Town, Western Cape
Employment Status	Permanent Government Appointment
Minimum Education	Grade 10 Certificate (NQF Level 3) or recognized equivalent
Technical Core Focus	Facility, Vehicle, Caravan, and Specialized Tool Maintenance

Role Purpose & Survey Services Operational Context

The Directorate: Survey Services serves as the cornerstone for national geospatial data acquisition, geodetic positioning networks, and official land boundary determinations. Field teams within this division routinely deploy on extensive mapping and surveying campaigns that require mobile operations, heavy equipment transportation, and isolated field camps. Consequently, the durability of field gear and the reliability of transport infrastructure directly determine the success of national land mapping timelines.

As a Tradesman Aid, you will act as the operational anchor for these field units. Your primary function involves maintaining a constant state of readiness for all physical assets. This spans from performing basic preventative maintenance on deep-field caravans and operational transport vehicles to ensuring that sensitive electrical and hand-operated tools are cleaned, calibrated, and safely put away.

Furthermore, because these operations fluctuate dynamically across different regional territories, your ability to efficiently break down, transport, and re-establish secure camp environments ensures that survey professionals have a safe, organized base from which to execute their technical directives.

The Tradesman Maintenance & Deployment Lifecycle

To maintain perfect asset preservation and avoid costly mechanical downtime during critical field operations, the Tradesman Aid follows a highly structured, sequential maintenance and logistics workflow:

1.Tool Diagnostics & Facility Inventory:Pre-Deployment Audit.

Inspect all designated hand and electrical tools, field camp canvas structures, and storage tents. Clean and service each asset against departmental preservation checklists, removing damaged implements from the main queue to maintain immediate operational readiness.

2.Vehicle, Caravan, and Fuel Asset Upkeep:Fleet Logistics & Fuelling.

Conduct thorough standard safety checks on the team vehicle and mobile caravan units (checking tire pressures, fluids, and light connections). Safely manage the dispensing, recording, and secure storage of operational fuels, lubricants, and machinery oils.

3.Camp Relocation & Structural Execution:Tactical Deployment.

Transport field camp materials to designated survey regions. Safely disassemble outdated base setups and systematically erect field facilities, secure stores tents, and temporary shelter systems in alignment with departmental health and safety protocols.

4.Defect Mitigation & Workshop Routing:Compliance Reporting.

Monitor equipment performance continuously while in the field. Identify mechanical wear, structural faults, or system leaks early, and compile detailed reports for the mechanical workshop to prevent catastrophic gear failure or secondary damage.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

1. Fleet, Caravan, and Camp Facility Maintenance

Provide robust, hands-on physical assistance in the routine maintenance and cleaning of departmental properties, surveying facilities, transport vehicles, and peripheral tools.
Ensure the dedicated team vehicle and accompanying mobile field caravan are maintained in immaculate condition at all times, checking physical integrity before and after field journeys.
Organize, clean, and maintain the field stores tents and temporary shelters systematically to ensure zero deterioration from environmental moisture or pests.
Take direct accountability for the physical relocation of operational base camps, managing the loading, packing, transit, and re-erection of structures across various rural and urban topographies.

2. Technical Equipment Care and Tool Preservation

Execute the cleaning, basic servicing, preventative repair, and high-security safekeeping of all state-issued hand and electrical tools in accordance with established standards.
Implement structured routines for the safe storage, continuous sterilization, and routine lubrication of field implements, keeping inventory records clean and fully traceable.
Manage storage lockers systematically to ensure that delicate electronic surveying accessories are never exposed to heavy impacts or corrosive substances.

3. Consumables Management & Mechanical Defect Reporting

Assist with the safe dispensing, tracking, and formal receipt of fuel canisters, engine oils, and operational fluids used by field generators and support vehicles.
Keep precise manual logs of fuel levels to maintain localized fire safety compliance and eliminate resource waste.
Inspect mechanical systems proactively and ensure the timely reporting of structural or performance defects to the centralized mechanical workshop to avoid compounding damages.

Minimum Requirements & Skill Architecture

Prerequisite Qualifications & Competencies

Applicants must be in possession of a validated Grade 10 Certificate (NQF Level 3) or a verified relevant equivalent qualification.
Demonstrated foundational literacy and the practical capacity to read maintenance manuals, fill out fuel logs, and process basic repair documentation.

Core Behavioral & Job-Related Skills

Tool Literacy: Proven ability to handle, operate, and maintain both standard hand tools (wrenches, hammers, manual saws) and entry-level electrical power tools securely.
Communication Metrics: Clear verbal and written communication skills to report structural or mechanical asset defects to engineering teams.
Interpersonal Relations: Sound interpersonal skills, with a focus on teamwork, reliability, and adapting easily to shifting communal dynamics in remote field camps.
Autonomy & Organization: Strong structural organizational skills with a distinct capacity to work independently under minimal supervisor oversight once tasks are assigned.

Employment Equity (EE) Framework Targets

The Department of Land Reform and Rural Development is dedicated to creating a public service workforce that reflects the demographic diversity of South Africa. In accordance with the Employment Equity goals established for this specific Western Cape recruiting cycle, prioritization metrics will guide the selection process:

Priority Target Group Alignment: For this specific level 03 vacancy, selection preference will be extended to Coloured Males, Indian Males, White Males, alongside African Females, Coloured Females, Indian Females, White Females, and Persons with Disabilities. Qualified individuals meeting these profiles are highly encouraged to submit their materials.

Application Channels & Compliance Protocols

Eligible candidates who meet the NQF Level 3 requirements must submit a thoroughly completed, recently updated, and signed Z83 application form. This must be accompanied by a comprehensive, well-structured CV detailing all practical maintenance, voluntary tool handling, or driving exposure, along with reachable reference contacts.

Submission Paths for Applicants:

Via Digital Mail Gateway (Preferred): Post80@dlrrd.gov.za
Via Physical Hand Delivery (Office Hours Only): 4th Floor, No 2 Riebeeck Street, ABSA Building, Cape Town
Direct Telephonic Inquiries: Ms N Dlamini | Tel No: (021) 658 4300

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Post last updated: June 2026 | Reference Number: 3/1/1/1/2026/80 | Keywords: Department of Land Reform and Rural Development Vacancies 2026, Tradesman Aid Mowbray, Survey Services Western Cape, Cape Town Government Jobs, Entry-Level Tool Maintenance, Fuel Handling Logistics, Z83 Application Framework, Public Service Level 3 Jobs.

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