Certified documents now expire after six months

All government departments and its components have been directed to stop the practice of requiring certified copies of documents not older than three months to accompany applications for employment.

This decision follows complaints raised with President Cyril Ramaphosa on social media and through other channels about the requirements for compliance with public sector job applications.

Departments have been advised to at least accept certified copies of documents submitted with an application for employment that are up to six months old, in those cases where the document certified does not have an expiry date that falls within the six-month period, the Presidency said. 

 “Government has recognised that the practice to date impacts negatively on jobseekers in the current economic climate in South Africa, and that there is a need to reduce the burden on jobseekers to submit - with each separate job application - certified copies of supporting documents (such as academic qualifications, which are not older than three months),” The Presidency said in a statement.

The Presidency said this change would also reduce the workload that the certification of documents creates for the South African Police Service personnel, who will now be able to devote more time to their core function of ensuring that South Africans are and feel safe.SAnews.gov.za