A South African CV is usually two or three pages in English. It lists contact details, a short profile, work experience with results, qualifications from your highest down to matric, skills, a driver's licence if the job needs one, and two or three references. Foreign degrees are often checked through a SAQA evaluation, which places them on South Africa's National Qualifications Framework.
These are common practices, not legal rules, and employers differ. Every example is fictional; replace each [bracketed] detail with your own, and follow the job posting when it asks for something specific.
What a South African CV usually includes
| Section | What to write |
|---|---|
| Contact details | Name, phone, email, suburb and city. Nationality or work-permit status if you are not a South African citizen |
| Profile | Three lines: role, experience and your strongest result |
| Work experience | Newest first, with results and numbers you can defend |
| Qualifications | Degree or diploma with institution and year, then matric (National Senior Certificate) with year |
| Skills | Software, systems and job-specific skills |
| Driver's licence | Only if relevant, with the code, for example Code B or Code EB |
| Languages | English and any of South Africa's other official languages you speak, with level |
| References | Two or three, with permission; or "available on request" |
Personal details: ID number, race and other sensitive data
Older South African CVs often carry an ID number, date of birth, marital status and health details. You do not need most of them on a CV that you send to many employers. Under POPIA, employers have to process personal information lawfully, and you can give your ID number on the formal application form when asked.
Some adverts say the post is an employment equity position. You may mention your status if you want it considered; you do not have to put race or gender on a CV.
South African CV template and example
South African CV sample (fictional)
[Your Name] — [Position applied for]
[Phone] · [Email] · [Suburb, City] · Driver's licence: [Code B]
PROFILE: [Role] with [number] years in [industry], focused on [task] and [task].
EXPERIENCE: [Job title], [Company], [City] — [Month Year]–present
• [Task], [for whom], [result].
QUALIFICATIONS: [Diploma / BCom ...], [Institution], [Year] · National Senior Certificate, [School], [Year]
SKILLS: [tool], [tool] · LANGUAGES: English ([level]), [isiZulu / Afrikaans / other] ([level])
REFERENCES: [Name], [Position], [Company], [Phone] (×2)
Foreign qualifications: SAQA evaluation
If your degree is from outside South Africa, employers and Home Affairs may ask for a SAQA certificate of evaluation. SAQA checks that the qualification is genuine and places it on the NQF. Add the result to your CV once you have it, for example "[Degree], [University, Country] — evaluated by SAQA at NQF level [x]".
- Should I put my ID number on my CV in South Africa?
- It is not required on the CV. Give it on the application form when the employer asks for it.
- How long should a South African CV be?
- Two pages for most people, three with long experience. Graduates can fit everything on one or two.
- Do I list matric results if I have a degree?
- A single line with the year is enough. Detailed subject results matter only for school leavers.
See how other countries compare in the CV format by country guide, or read the Kenya CV format. The CV builder gives you a two-page layout ready for PDF.
