SPEECH THERAPIST GRADE 1 TO 3 (Contract until March 2029) Garden Route District

This advertised post falls within the Garden Route District and is based at the District Office in George, offering a fixed-term contract that runs until March 2029. The successful candidate will function as a Speech Therapist, delivering services across hospitals, primary healthcare facilities and community settings throughout the Garden Route. The work involves assessing and managing both adult and paediatric patients who present with disorders in speech, language, feeding, swallowing, fluency, voice and cognition, all within the recognised scope of practice for the profession. The role is competitive, allowing appointment at Grade 1, 2 or 3 depending on the applicant’s years of relevant experience after registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA).

Applicants must hold an appropriate qualification that permits registration with the HPCSA as either a Speech Therapist and Audiologist, or a Speech Therapist alone, and must already be registered in the relevant category. The grade of appointment is determined by experience: no prior experience is required for Grade 1 in the case of South African qualified employees, while Grade 2 calls for at least ten years and Grade 3 for at least twenty years of relevant post-registration experience. Slightly higher experience thresholds apply to foreign-qualified applicants who were not required to perform community service in South Africa. A valid Code B or EB driver’s licence is an inherent requirement, as the post involves travelling between facilities and community venues.

The core duties are comprehensive. The therapist will provide independent clinical services including assessment, treatment planning, discharge planning and follow-up, while also working as part of a multi-disciplinary team. The role includes educating healthcare professionals, community health workers, patients and caregivers, and planning speech therapy related health awareness activities aligned with the departmental health calendar. The incumbent must ensure accurate record keeping, compile weekly statistics and monthly reports, submit data according to departmental protocols, and manage resources such as stock and consumables effectively. Responsibility for own professional development and performance management also forms part of the post, and the therapist may be required to provide relief duties when colleagues are absent, as well as ongoing support to the supervisor.

Candidates who do not yet hold the required registration may still apply, provided they submit proof of application for registration to the HPCSA and proof of payment of the prescribed registration fees on or before the day of the interview. This concession applies only to health professionals applying for first-time registration in a specific category. The post is linked to the Ecosystem Service platform, meaning the appointed person must be willing to render clinical services across institutions within that ecosystem as required to sustain service delivery. No payment of any kind is required when applying. This is an OSD-graded post, and interested applicants should note that the selection process will consider the requirements and competencies outlined in the vacancy.