Western Cape PAY Programme for Matriculants

Written by Thabo MokoenaSenior Education Editor

Reviewed & verified by Naledi KhumaloSenior Admissions and Bursaries EditorVerified

The First Work Experience PAY Programme is the Western Cape Government’s (WCG) paid first job for school-leavers. PAY stands for Premier’s Advancement of Youth. Unlike most internships it does not ask for a degree or diploma: it takes young people who passed Matric in the Western Cape, are not going on to study, and have never worked, and gives them a year of mentored work in a provincial department. The Department of the Premier runs it, and applications open once a year. The most recent intake works from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027.

Matriculants the PAY Programme looks for

For the 2026 intake, WCG’s PAY service page set these conditions:

• aged 17 to 24;
• wrote and passed the National Senior Certificate in the Western Cape in 2024 or 2025;
• not planning to study further in 2026;
• a South African citizen living in the Western Cape;
• household income below R350,000 a year;
• no work experience, and no network or support to help with career choices.

WCG checks every applicant’s NSC results with the Western Cape Education Department. It also refuses applications from anyone whose family member holds a middle or senior management post in the Western Cape Government, to avoid conflicts of interest. WCG has not yet published the Matric years it will accept for the next intake.

Thirteen departments that host PAY interns

Interns are placed in one of 13 provincial departments for on-the-job training:

• Department of the Premier
• Department of Agriculture
• Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport
• Department of Economic Development and Tourism
• Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning
• Department of Infrastructure
• Department of Local Government
• Department of Police Oversight and Community Safety
• Department of Social Development
• Provincial Treasury
• Western Cape Education Department (WCED)
• Western Cape Government Health and Wellness
• Western Cape Mobility Department

The year combines mentoring, on-the-job training and skills development, with time to decide on a career. WCG lists four results: public-sector work experience, references a future employer can contact, skills that make the intern more employable, and a support network. Interns can also use the year to improve their NSC results for university or TVET college admission, and WCG’s 2026 flyer says the programme might lead to a chance at a bursary in the intern’s field of interest. WCG does not publish the monthly stipend on its PAY page or flyer.

Applying on the WCG eRecruit site

Applications are made only online, on the WCG interns eRecruit portal, where each intake has its own category. The 2026 round closed on Monday, 26 January 2026. The process runs like this:

1. Create an email address if you do not have one; WCG suggests a free Gmail or Yahoo account.
2. Register on the portal. WCG emails a username and a one-time PIN; keep both somewhere safe.
3. Complete the application, including a short statement on your skills and abilities, achievements and experiences, and career objectives.
4. Wait for the on-screen message confirming that you have successfully applied for the First Work Experience PAY internship.

Applicants without internet at home can use a public library or a Thusong Service Centre. Before appointment, candidates go through a personnel security check that includes fingerprinting, and WCG asks them to open a bank account and register with SARS for a tax number beforehand.

For problems with the online form, call the helpline on 086 137 0214. Other questions go to the PAY Office on 021 483 0742 or 021 483 9456 during office hours, or by email to internships.csc@westerncape.gov.za. School-leavers who do want to study can compare the province’s study funding on our Western Cape Government bursaries page, and graduates will find degree-based internships on our government internships page.

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