The Office of the Chief Justice (OCJ) has opened its Graduate Internship Programme 2027-2029, offering 29 paid internship posts across Finance, Human Resources, Law, Risk Management and Public Administration. Successful applicants earn R8,174.75 a month over a 24-month placement running from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2029. Posts are spread across Midrand, Pretoria, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Free State, Mpumalanga and the Northern Cape, and applications close on 28 September 2026.
About the Programme
The Office of the Chief Justice is the government department that provides administrative and judicial support to South Africa’s courts, from the Constitutional Court down to provincial High Courts. It runs a structured Graduate Internship Programme each year to build a pipeline of young South Africans with hands-on experience of how the judiciary is administered, covering everything from court administration and legal support to finance, HR and risk management.
With 29 separate posts on offer this intake, the programme is unusually broad: it is not limited to law graduates. Diploma and degree holders in Public Administration, Human Resource Management, Risk Management, Business Administration and Office Management can all find a matching post, alongside LLB graduates who can apply for legal internships at the Constitutional Court and various High Courts.
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What Is Covered
- A monthly stipend of R8,174.75 for the full 24-month internship
- Structured, practical workplace experience within the national court administration system
- Placement options across Midrand, Pretoria, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Free State, Mpumalanga and the Northern Cape
- Exposure to Finance, Human Resource Management, Risk Management, Court Administration, Strategy and Legal functions
- Direct experience working inside institutions such as the Constitutional Court and various High Courts
- A recognised government internship reference for future public service or legal career applications
Who Can Apply (Eligibility)
- South African citizen
- Unemployed graduate who has not previously participated in an internship programme
- Most posts require Grade 12 plus a relevant three-year National Diploma at NQF Level 6 with 360 credits recognised by SAQA
- Legal internships at the Constitutional Court and High Courts require an LLB Degree at NQF Level 8 with 480 credits
- Relevant fields include Financial Accounting, Human Resource Management, Industrial Psychology, Risk Management, Public Administration, Public Management, Office Management, Business Administration and Law
- Applicants with foreign qualifications must have them evaluated by SAQA
- Willing to relocate at your own cost if applying for a post outside your home province
Required Documents
- Correctly completed and signed new Z83 Application for Employment form (the old form will not be accepted)
- A recently updated CV
- Certified copies are not required at initial application stage, but shortlisted candidates must later provide certified copies of their Matric certificate, academic transcript, qualification and ID document
- A separate, complete application for every reference number you apply for
How to Apply
- Identify the specific post and reference number that matches your qualification from the OCJ advert (for example 2026/F01/OCJ for Finance or 2026/CC14/OCJ for the Constitutional Court legal internship).
- Download the new Z83 form from www.gov.za/documents and complete every section in full.
- Attach your updated CV to the completed Z83.
- Email your application to the specific address allocated to your chosen reference number, as listed in the official OCJ advert or DPSA Circular 33 of 2026.
- Use only the reference number and job title quoted in the advert as your email subject line.
- Submit a separate application for each additional post you wish to be considered for.
- Keep a copy of every application you submit, together with proof of sending.
Closing Date
The closing date for the Office of the Chief Justice Graduate Internship Programme 2027-2029 is 28 September 2026. Correspondence will be limited to shortlisted candidates only.
Why It Matters
Legal and public administration graduates in South Africa often struggle to find their first structured placement, since law firms and government legal departments typically prioritise candidates who already have some form of practical exposure. A 24-month OCJ internship solves that problem directly: it puts a graduate inside the country’s court system, working alongside judges’ staff, registrars and senior administrators, while paying a monthly stipend for two full years. For non-legal graduates in HR, finance and risk, it offers the same value in a public-sector-specific context that many private employers respect precisely because of how rigorous government recruitment and reporting processes are.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can non-law graduates apply?
Yes. Of the 29 posts, most require a National Diploma or Degree in fields such as Finance, HR, Risk Management or Public Administration rather than a law qualification. Only specific Constitutional Court and High Court legal posts require an LLB.
Which provinces have posts available?
Posts are available in Gauteng (Midrand, Braamfontein, Pretoria, Johannesburg), the Western Cape, Free State, Mpumalanga and the Northern Cape.
Is the R8,174.75 stipend guaranteed for the full internship?
Yes, it is paid monthly for the full 24-month programme, from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2029.
Can I apply for more than one post?
Yes, but you must submit a completely separate application, with its own Z83 and CV, quoting the specific reference number for each post you want to be considered for.
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