Key facts
- Status
- Applications closed Closed 27 July 2026
- Provider
- National Prosecuting Authority (NPA)
- Field of study
- Law
- Study level
- University
- Academic year
- 2027
- Last checked
- September 2026
Applications for the 2027 intake closed on 27 July 2026; the NPA set the entry examination for 30 September 2026 and expects the programme to start on 1 March 2027.
VerifiedThe National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) recruits law graduates every year into its Aspirant Prosecutor Programme, a paid 12-month in-service training post in the lower courts. Aspirants who are judged competent at the end can be appointed to entry-level prosecutor posts anywhere in the country. For the 2027 intake the NPA advertised in July 2026 and closed applications on 27 July 2026. Shortlisted candidates write the entry examination on Wednesday, 30 September 2026, and the programme is due to start on 1 March 2027.
A salaried year of prosecutor training
This is not a bursary or an unpaid internship. The 2027 advert lists the post as “Aspirant Prosecutor Training” in the National Prosecutions Service at a salary of R262 968 to R304 299 a year, on the LP-1 to LP-2 legal-professional scale. The NPA’s FAQ explains the range: applicants with relevant experience, such as completed articles, are not appointed on the same salary as those without.
Aspirants sign a written contract setting out their conditions of service and are assessed continuously throughout the year to decide whether they are competent to be appointed as prosecutors. They must follow the prosecutors’ Code of Conduct and the policy directives issued by the National Director of Public Prosecutions from the start.
Where you train, and where you will not be placed
Each applicant chooses one training centre and quotes its reference number. The 2027 advert listed 17 centres:
| Province | Training centres (reference) |
|---|---|
| Gauteng | Johannesburg (APTJHB27), Randburg (APTRAN27), Protea (APTPRO27), Benoni in the Vaal Rand cluster (APTBEN27) |
| Mpumalanga | Evander in the Witbank cluster (APTEVA27) |
| KwaZulu-Natal | Madadeni in the Ladysmith cluster (APTMAD27) |
| Free State | Welkom (APTWEL27), Bloemfontein (APTBFN27) |
| Northern Cape | Kimberley (APTKIM27) |
| Western Cape | Bellville (APTBELL27), George (APTGEO27) |
| North West | Klerksdorp (APTKLE27) |
| Limpopo | Mahwelereng in the Modimolle cluster (APTMOD27), Polokwane (APTPLK27), Makhado in the Thohoyandou cluster (APTMAK27) |
| Eastern Cape | Port Elizabeth (APTPLZ27), Mthatha (APTMTH27) |
The training centre is not where you end up. The advert states that aspirants who finish the programme may not be placed as District Court prosecutors in the centre, cluster or division where they trained; the NPA decides placement at any office in the country. If the NPA offers a permanent post after the training and you turn it down, that counts as termination of your contract. The NPA also does not pay resettlement costs, which matters when the first posting may be in another province.
The LLB modules and citizenship rule
- An LLB, or a foreign law qualification with a SAQA evaluation report proving its equivalence. Final-year LLB students may apply if the degree will be complete before the programme starts.
- South African citizenship.
- According to the NPA’s FAQ, the degree must include Law of Evidence, Civil Procedure, Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure and Interpretation of Statutes.
- Availability for the full 12 months from the start date. The NPA will not consider requests to start later.
The FAQ says there is no age limit, admitted advocates may apply, and a criminal or bad credit record does not bar an application: successful candidates go through vetting and a decision follows. Appointment is provisional until a security clearance of at least “confidential” is issued. Public servants, including NPA staff, need their employer’s approval to join, or must resign and take up the 12-month contract.
From a Z83 email to the entry examination
Applications went by email only, to the address for the chosen centre (for example APTJHB27@npa.gov.za for Johannesburg). Each needed the latest Z83 form, completed in full and signed, plus a comprehensive CV describing any legal experience. Certified copies of qualifications, and an academic record for final-year students, are requested only from shortlisted candidates. Applying to more than one centre disqualifies you, as do password-protected documents and zip files.
Only applicants who pass the entry examination move on to the next stage. The NPA publishes a study guide for each intake; the 2027 edition covers criminal law, the law of evidence (including how modern technology affects evidence), the Criminal Procedure Act and sentencing. On 16 September 2026 the NPA posted the examination venues: candidates must be seated by 08:00 on 30 September with their invitation letter, a valid South African ID card or driver’s licence, and an HB pencil, sharpener and eraser. The examination lasts three hours, and some candidates write in an afternoon session.
The NPA has published all of this on its Aspirant Prosecutor Programme page, including the 2027 intake advert. Recruitment enquiries go to Gija Maswanganyi (012 845 6944), Sharon Ntseo (012 845 6664) or Pfanani Malova (012 845 6953). The advert warns that applicants who hear nothing within six months of the closing date should accept that they were unsuccessful.
Still studying towards the LLB
If you are not yet in final year, the degree comes first. The site’s guide to LLB bursaries and the route to practising law explains the other paths after graduation, and the law bursaries hub lists current funders. The Legal Practitioners Fidelity Fund bursary is another law-specific option.
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