Office of the Pension Funds Adjudicator is calling on unemployed South African graduates to apply for a 24‑month legal internship that starts soon. The closing date is 29 May 2026, so act now if you want hands‑on experience in pension‑funds law.
What the internship is
The OPFA Legal Internship Programme offers four graduate positions in the New Complaints Unit. It is a contract role based in Pretoria, Gauteng, with a market‑related salary. Interns will work on pension‑fund complaints, investigations and legal determinations for two years.
Who can apply
Applicants must meet the following minimum criteria:
- South African citizen or permanent resident
- Completed a recognised law degree (LLB) or equivalent qualification
- Eligibility for employment in South Africa
Additional advantages include:
- Certificate in Pension Funds Law
- Practical Legal Training (PLT) qualification
What you will gain
This internship provides real‑world legal experience within the pension‑fund regulatory environment. You will develop:
- Investigative and complaint‑resolution skills
- Legal drafting and correspondence abilities
- Proficiency with the Respond software system and statistical reporting
- Professional competencies such as analytical thinking, planning, and resilience
Key responsibilities
- Attend to walk‑in pension‑fund complaints
- Assist with lodging new complaints
- Draft and send correspondence to relevant parties
- Conduct investigations and request investigation reports
- Prepare determinations in line with workflow requirements
- Maintain complaint files and records
- Follow up on responses and undertakings
- Save documents in the Respond system
- Submit weekly and monthly statistics to team leaders
Required competencies
- Computer literacy (MS Word, Excel, Outlook)
- Strong written and verbal communication
- Planning and organisational abilities
- Analytical and problem‑solving skills
- Ability to investigate and resolve complaints
- Resilience and professionalism under pressure
- Legal interpretation and argumentation skills
Behavioural attributes
- Passionate about service delivery
- Compassionate towards complainants and the public
- Deadline‑driven and energetic
- Team player
- Professional and ethical
- Able to work under pressure
How to apply
- Prepare a comprehensive CV, your qualification certificates and any supporting documents.
- Visit the official application portal and complete the online form.
- Upload the required documents and submit before the deadline (29 May 2026).
- After submitting, keep a copy of the confirmation email for your records.
Apply Online for OPFA Legal Internships 2026
You can also review other openings on the OPFA Vacancies Page.
Tips to improve your chances
- Tailor your CV to highlight any experience with investigations, legal research or pension‑fund matters.
- Include any certificates in pension‑funds law or PLT to strengthen your profile.
- Proofread your application for spelling and grammar errors – attention to detail matters.
- Submit all required documents in PDF format and keep file names clear (e.g., Surname_CV.pdf).
- Follow up politely after two weeks if you have not received an acknowledgement.
Next steps
Take the first step toward a legal career in the pension‑fund sector today. Gather your documents, apply before the 29 May deadline, and keep a positive outlook – many graduates start their professional journey through programmes like this.
