ARTISAN GRADE A: MECHANICAL PLANT: GMT (X9 POSTS)

This advertisement announces nine Artisan Grade A positions within the Mechanical Plant section of the GMT unit in the Mpumalanga Provincial Government. The posts are distributed across multiple centres, including Ehlanzeni Tonga, the Head Office Government Garage, Gert Sibande Lekwa, Nkangala Middleburg, Nkangala Siyabuswa, Bohlabela Mashishing, and Bohlabela Thulamahashe. This is an OSD-graded role, reflecting a structured career path for qualified mechanical tradespeople. The incumbent will focus on the maintenance, repair, and servicing of earthmoving equipment, construction plant, tractors, and diesel machinery used in government operations. Candidates must hold a Grade 12 certificate and an appropriate Trade Test Certificate in one of the specified disciplines, namely earthmoving equipment mechanic, construction plant mechanic, tractor mechanic, or diesel mechanic, along with experience as a tradesman. A willingness to work overtime and perform standby duties is essential, as the role supports critical plant availability across the province.

The duties are broad and technically demanding. The artisan will produce designs and objects according to client specifications and within production capability, while ensuring quality assurance of all outputs. This includes inspecting equipment and plant for technical faults, repairing equipment and facilities according to recognised standards, testing repaired equipment against specifications, and servicing plant according to schedule. The role also requires quality assurance of serviced and maintained equipment, compiling and submitting reports, providing inputs to the operational plan, and maintaining job records or registers. Supervision and mentoring of staff form part of the responsibilities, as does continuous individual development to keep pace with new technologies and procedures. The artisan is expected to engage in research and literature studies on technical and engineering developments to improve expertise and service delivery.

The ideal candidate will possess strong technical analysis and report writing skills, knowledge of computer-aided technical applications, legal compliance, production processes, and technical consulting. Problem-solving, decision-making, teamwork, creativity, self-management, customer focus, communication, computer literacy, and planning and organising skills are all required. Shortlisted candidates should note that the department follows a rigorous selection process, including practical exercises and integrity assessments for all applicants, with additional psychometric testing for SMS-level posts. Personnel suitability checks will be conducted on the top candidates, covering criminal records, citizenship, financial assets, qualifications, and employment background. The successful candidate will enter into an Annual Performance Agreement and must disclose financial interests annually. Foreign qualifications must be evaluated by SAQA, and applicants must disclose any business interests with the state or additional remunerative work. The department reserves the right not to make an appointment, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. If no response is received within three months of the closing date, applicants should regard their applications as unsuccessful. These positions offer skilled mechanical artisans the opportunity to contribute to the reliability and efficiency of government plant equipment across Mpumalanga, within a disciplined environment that values technical expertise, integrity, and continuous improvement.