SARS Customs & Excise Cadet Learnership 2026 – 80 Positions

SARS Customs & Excise Cadet Learnership 2026 – 80 Positions, Grade 12 and 12-Month Contract

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) is recruiting candidates for its Customs & Excise Cadet Learnership Programme. The programme offers a 12-month contract designed to provide practical workplace experience and develop skills related to Customs and Excise operations.

The opportunity is aimed at young South Africans between the ages of 18 and 35 who meet the educational, experience and operational requirements.

The programme has opportunities across several Customs operational environments, including airports, seaports, land border posts, hubs and inland offices.

The advertised closing date is 29 September 2026.

SARS Customs & Excise Cadet Learnership 2026 – Job Details

About the SARS Customs & Excise Cadet Programme

The SARS Customs & Excise Cadet Learnership Programme is structured as a 12-month learning journey that combines practical workplace exposure with the development of relevant skills and knowledge.

Successful candidates will be exposed to Customs and Excise operational environments and will contribute to the effective delivery of administrative and operational activities while following SARS procedures, guidelines and service standards.

Learners will be expected to take responsibility for their own development, maintain accurate records, comply with governance requirements and continuously improve the quality of their work.

SARS Customs & Excise Learnership Locations

The programme includes opportunities at various locations across South Africa.

The advertised positions are distributed as follows:

• Johannesburg – Alberton: 1
• OR Tambo International Airport: 14
• Lanseria International Airport: 3
• Doringkloof Hub: 2
• Port Elizabeth: 1
• Durban Harbour: 10
• Durban Hub: 4
• Richards Bay Hub: 3
• King Shaka International Airport: 1
• Groblersbridge Border Post: 1
• Beitbridge Border Post: 1
• Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport: 1
• Oshoek Border Post: 1
• Lebombo Border Post: 16
• Kopfontein Border Post: 3
• Cape Town Harbour: 8
• Cape Town International Airport: 10

Applicants should note that the programme requires willingness to be deployed nationally, including to remote land border posts, airports, seaports and inland operational offices.

Minimum Requirements

Candidates interested in the SARS Customs & Excise Cadet Learnership must meet the requirements specified in the vacancy.

Education

Applicants must have:

• NQF Level 4 with Mathematics and/or Accounting.

Work Experience

Candidates must have:

• At least one year of experience in an administration, logistics or customer service environment.

Citizenship

Applicants must be:

• South African citizens.

Driver’s Licence

A valid:

• Code B or EB driver’s licence is required.

Other Requirements

Successful applicants must be willing to:

• Work shifts.
• Work weekends.
• Work public holidays.
• Work overtime when operational requirements require it.
• Be deployed nationally to Customs operational environments.
• Work at land border posts, including remote locations.
• Work at airports and seaports.
• Work at inland operational offices.
• Undergo security screening.
• Undergo criminal record checks.
• Have qualifications verified.
• Participate in integrity assessments.
• Work in an operational environment.
• Meet the physical requirements of the role.
• Use computers and Microsoft Office applications.

The age requirement specified for the programme is 18 to 35 years, with the programme specifically seeking to attract youth.

Customs & Excise Cadet Duties

Learners will perform various administrative and operational activities under the guidance and procedures applicable to their area of work.

Responsibilities include:

• Using relevant systems accurately to process information.
• Assisting with administrative tasks within the assigned division.
• Responding to information requests and directing them to the relevant department when necessary.
• Communicating transactional outputs and queries.
• Working towards agreed performance objectives and service-level requirements.
• Supporting change initiatives within the assigned area.
• Maintaining the quality of work and minimising errors.
• Resolving basic queries within established procedures and escalating unresolved matters.
• Following the learner activity manual applicable to the division or business unit.
• Identifying and analysing information requests.
• Identifying problems and applying known solutions in accordance with procedures.
• Escalating unresolved problems.
• Keeping accurate records of completed work.
• Planning and organising work effectively.
• Reporting on transactional activity and progress within established guidelines.

Customer Service Responsibilities

Learners will also be expected to understand service requirements and work towards meeting client expectations.

This requires candidates to communicate professionally, understand the needs associated with their area of work and follow the applicable service procedures.

Governance and Compliance

SARS places significant emphasis on governance, compliance and confidentiality.

Learners will be required to:

• Comply with identified governance and compliance standards.
• Follow applicable policies and procedures.
• Escalate problems for investigation and resolution.
• Maintain confidentiality when handling sensitive information.
• Follow standard operating procedures.

The vacancy identifies a GOC Confidential compliance competency. This includes information that may be sensitive to the security or national interest of South Africa, as well as commercial or taxpayer information where unlawful disclosure could cause harm or financial loss.

Behavioural Competencies

Candidates should demonstrate the following competencies:

• Accountability.
• Commitment to continuous learning.
• Conceptual ability.
• Expertise in context.
• Organisational awareness.
• Fairness and transparency.
• Honesty and integrity.
• Trust.
• Respect.
• Attention to detail.
• Analytical thinking.

These competencies are relevant to a role involving customer information, administrative processes, compliance and Customs-related operations.

Technical Competencies

The programme also identifies the following technical competencies:

• Administrative support.
• Business knowledge.
• Data collection and analysis.
• Efficient improvement.
• Functional policies and procedures.
• Records and archive management.
• Reporting.
• Service delivery.
• Standard operating procedure compliance.
• Customs systems and products.

Working Environment

The Customs & Excise Cadet Programme may involve working in a variety of operational environments.

Candidates must therefore be prepared for deployment to locations such as:

• International airports.
• Seaports.
• Land border posts.
• Inland operational hubs.
• Customs offices.

Some placements may be in remote areas, and successful candidates must be willing to work according to the operational requirements of the assigned location.

Selection and Pre-Employment Screening

SARS states that successful candidates will be required to complete several screening and assessment processes.

These may include:

• Oath of secrecy.
• Pre-employment screening.
• Case study.
• Pre-assessment.
• Psychometric assessment and/or vetting.
• Declaration of private interest.
• Appropriate reference checks.
• Security clearance where applicable.
• Criminal record checks.
• Qualification verification.
• Integrity assessments.

Candidates should therefore ensure that all information provided during the recruitment process is accurate.

Employment Equity and Disability Inclusion

SARS states that its Employment Equity policy will be considered as part of the recruitment and selection process.

Persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Applicants should ensure that they meet the requirements and provide accurate information during the application and assessment process.

How to Apply for the SARS Customs & Excise Cadet Learnership

Interested candidates should apply through the official SARS recruitment process for Requisition ID 11620 – Customs & Excise Cadet Learnership Programme.

Applicants should carefully review the official vacancy information and ensure that they meet the education, experience, citizenship, driver’s licence, age and operational requirements before submitting an application.

Candidates should also consider the national deployment requirement before applying, as placements may involve airports, seaports, border posts and inland operational locations.

Closing Date

The closing date for the SARS Customs & Excise Cadet Learnership Programme is:

29 September 2026

Applicants should submit their applications before the advertised deadline.

Important Information for Applicants

Before applying, candidates should take note of the following:

• The programme is a 12-month contract.
• The programme is focused on Customs & Excise operations.
• The advertised requisition ID is 11620.
• Applicants must be South African citizens.
• The age requirement is 18–35 years.
• NQF Level 4 with Mathematics and/or Accounting is required.
• One year of administration, logistics or customer service experience is required.
• A valid Code B/EB driver’s licence is required.
• Shift, weekend, public holiday and overtime work may be required.
• Candidates must be willing to work at different operational locations nationally.
• Some placements may be at remote land border posts.
• Security screening and other pre-employment assessments apply.
• Persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
• The closing date is 29 September 2026.

Final Thoughts

The SARS Customs & Excise Cadet Learnership Programme 2026 offers a 12-month opportunity for eligible young South Africans to gain practical experience within Customs and Excise operations.

The programme covers a wide range of locations, including airports, harbours, border posts, operational hubs and inland offices. Candidates considering the opportunity should pay particular attention to the requirements for NQF Level 4 with Mathematics and/or Accounting, one year of relevant experience, a Code B/EB driver’s licence and willingness to work shifts and be deployed nationally.

Eligible candidates should review the official vacancy information carefully and submit their applications before 29 September 2026.

Skhumbuzo Shandu

Skhumbuzo Shandu is the founder of Careers With Shandu, a platform dedicated to helping South Africans access job opportunities, learnerships, and career development resources.
He focuses on sharing clear, practical, and up-to-date information to help matriculants, graduates, and job seekers navigate applications and build their careers.
Through his work, he aims to make opportunities easier to understand and accessible to everyone, especially young people entering the workforce.