💧 General Stores Assistant – Department of Water and Sanitation
Position: General Stores Assistant
Reference Number: 270226/10
Branch: Infrastructure Management – Head Office
Directorate: Strategic Infrastructure Asset Management
Location: Standerton (Strategic Stores)
Salary: R163 680 per annum (Level 03)
Closing Date: 27 February 2026 at 16:30
📌 Minimum Requirements
- Relevant qualification at NQF Level 1
- At least one (1) year experience in a warehouse or stores environment
- Knowledge of stores equipment and appliances
- Understanding of receiving, issuing, and tracking stock and materials
- Familiarity with updating store procedures and order status
- Knowledge of chemical usage, including dilution, mixing, and safe handling
- Understanding of daily maintenance to ensure optimal machine and equipment performance
- Basic knowledge of water utilisation and water resource strategies
- Knowledge of health and safety regulations and compliance
- Understanding of stores maintenance and issuing practices
- Basic awareness of relevant government legislation
📦 Key Responsibilities
- Receive, inspect, and distribute stock and materials accurately
- Manage stock issuing processes and maintain inventory control
- Ensure accurate record-keeping, documentation, and reporting
- Conduct physical verification of assets and compile disposal lists for strategic assets
- Maintain safe, clean, and well-organised storage areas
- Capture and allocate barcodes to assets on the system
- Coordinate stock logistics and provide operational support where required
🌍 About the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS)
Water is the lifeblood of any nation — essential for households, agriculture, industry, energy generation, and environmental sustainability. In South Africa, a water-scarce country highly vulnerable to climate variability, the DWS plays a critical role in ensuring water security for both current and future generations.
Mandate & Core Responsibility:
The DWS manages and protects South Africa’s water resources while ensuring equitable and sustainable access to water and sanitation services. Its core mandate includes:
- Developing and implementing national water policies and legislation
- Regulating water use and allocation
- Managing water infrastructure and bulk supply systems
- Ensuring safe and dignified sanitation services
- Protecting rivers, dams, wetlands, and groundwater systems
- Supporting municipalities in delivering water and sanitation services
At its core, the DWS balances economic development, environmental protection, and social equity — a complex task in a country with uneven rainfall and growing demand.
💧 Water Security in South Africa
- South Africa receives an average annual rainfall of about 450mm — below the global average, making strategic water management essential.
- The DWS oversees major dam systems, inter-basin transfer schemes, national water resource planning, and bulk water infrastructure development.
- Climate change has intensified droughts and floods, requiring climate resilience integration into long-term water strategies.
🚰 Sanitation & Public Health
- Sanitation is tied to dignity, public health, and economic development.
- The DWS works to improve wastewater treatment and eradicate unsafe sanitation practices.
- Challenges include ageing municipal infrastructure, poor wastewater compliance, and river pollution.
- Regulatory tools and oversight programmes monitor municipal performance and drive compliance with national standards.
📜 Legislative & Regulatory Framework
South Africa’s water governance is guided primarily by:
- The National Water Act (1998)
- The Water Services Act (1997)
These laws promote equitable access and recognise water as both a human right and an economic resource. The DWS enforces these frameworks to ensure responsible water use licensing and environmental compliance.
🏗 Infrastructure & Economic Development
Water infrastructure supports:
- Agriculture and food security
- Mining and industrial activity
- Energy generation, including hydropower and cooling systems
- Urban expansion
The DWS plays a central role in planning, capital projects, and infrastructure development, often collaborating with state-owned entities and private partners. Large-scale dam construction, rehabilitation projects, and bulk pipelines stimulate job creation and regional development.
⚠️ Key Challenges
Despite its vital mandate, the DWS faces:
- Ageing and under-maintained infrastructure
- Financial constraints at municipal level
- Illegal water use and non-payment
- Climate change and extreme weather events
- Water pollution and declining river health
Addressing these challenges requires coordinated governance, strong financial management, technical expertise, and community cooperation.
🌟 Strategic Priorities for the Future
- Strengthening water-use monitoring systems
- Enhancing infrastructure maintenance and refurbishment
- Promoting water conservation and demand management
- Expanding access to safe sanitation
- Encouraging innovation in wastewater recycling and desalination
Water security is no longer just a service delivery issue — it is a national economic stability issue. Integrated water resource management is central to South Africa’s sustainability agenda.
Be part of the team shaping the future of water in South Africa!
CLICK HERE TO APPLY FOR THE JOB NOW
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