ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY PRACTITIONER Re-Advertisement

This is a re-advertised Assistant Director post for an Occupational Health and Safety Practitioner within the Department of Correctional Services, based at a correctional centre in either the Gauteng or Western Cape region. The role is a senior operational appointment aimed at ensuring that correctional facilities meet legal and departmental safety standards while fostering a wider culture of safety, health, environmental responsibility, risk management and quality across the region. The incumbent will act as a key resource for management and staff, helping to translate the department’s Integrated Environmental Health and Workplace policy into day-to-day practice within a correctional environment.

The core responsibilities revolve around the implementation and monitoring of occupational health and safety systems. This includes facilitating the rollout of the department’s OHS policy and procedures, ensuring compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act, and monitoring the broader SHERQ culture within the region. The practitioner will be expected to identify risks, recommend and facilitate corrective measures, and ensure that any incidents or non-compliance issues are addressed promptly. Another significant duty is coordinating emergency preparedness plans and response procedures, which means the post holder must be able to organise drills, maintain readiness plans, and liaise with internal security and external emergency services where necessary.

In practical terms, the role requires a sound understanding of OHS legislation, risk assessment methodologies, and the management of safety systems in a high-risk, institutional setting. Candidates should have the experience and confidence to advise senior managers, conduct site inspections, and provide guidance on health and safety matters to staff across multiple facilities. Strong communication, analytical and planning skills are essential, as the work involves both proactive prevention and reactive corrective action.

Several positions are being advertised for this title, each linked to a specific correctional centre, including facilities such as Leeuwkop, Kgoši Mampuru II, Bavianspoort, Zonderwater, Johannesburg, Boksburg, Modderbee and Krugersdorp in Gauteng, as well as Breede River, Drakenstein, Overberg, Voorberg, West Coast and Southern Cape in the Western Cape. Because this is a re-advertisement, anyone who applied previously must submit a new application for consideration. Appointment to the post will be made under the Public Service Act, and the position comes with the responsibilities and conditions attached to an Assistant Director-level role within the Department of Correctional Services. All the relevant reference numbers, contact persons and submission channels are set out in the full vacancy circular, and interested applicants should consult that information before applying.