eThekwini Municipality's new online recruitment process goes live February 2026: What job seekers need to know

eThekwini Municipality is rolling out a new digital Human Resources system that it says will clamp down on ghost employees, prevent double payments, curb tendering conflicts, and reduce job scams, while improving transparency and compliance.

Addressing the media, Councillor Nkosenhle Madlala said the Oracle Human Capital Management (HCM) platform would consolidate previously fragmented HR processes, making it harder for employees to be paid by more than one municipality or participate in tenders while on the payroll.He added that the system will automatically flag situations where employees are simultaneously employed elsewhere.

“Once you are officially employed, any invoice submitted prior will not be paid because the system will recognise that you are now an employee, and employees are not allowed to tender with the Municipality.”

He said digitisation will also address long-standing allegations of ghost employees and mishandled applications.

“The digitisation of the system will eliminate those kinds of accusations,” he said.

Recruitment Process

Recruitment, which was previously spread across multiple platforms and paper-based forms, will now be fully online, with all job applications consolidated on the Oracle portal. “We had a fragmented system where some people were still filling out forms manually, and that’s where problems arose,” Madlala said.

The system is also designed to improve compliance with the Municipal Standard Chart of Accounts (MSCOA), a National Treasury requirement to standardise financial and non-financial systems across municipalities.

Real-time monitoring

Beyond compliance, the platform provides real-time monitoring of employee attendance and workforce deployment. “Once people log in in the morning, you immediately know how many staff are present that day,” Madlala said, citing emergency services as an example of how the data will improve operational readiness.

The digital system will also flag potential employee wellness issues, allowing early interventions. “If everything is digitised, you can see when an employee has been on sick leave for more times, then there is something that needs to be done to support that employee,” he said.

Tackling job scams

Madlala highlighted the system’s role in tackling recruitment-related scams targeting job seekers. “There are people out there scamming our residents by claiming they work for HR,” he said.

“With this system, you don’t have to talk to anyone. You just log in.”

To ensure accessibility, the Municipality has set up HR Centres of Excellence with computers and trained staff to assist applicants who may not be digitally confident.

“Someone who isn’t digitally savvy can come in and say, ‘I don’t have a profile. I don’t know how to create one. Please assist me,’” Madlala said.

He added that the system would also save job seekers money and time. “If you’ve ever looked for a job, one of the most expensive issues besides transport is photocopying,” he said. Once documents are uploaded, they remain valid and only need updating if personal circumstances change.

He emphasised that Oracle HCM is part of a wider push to digitise municipal operations beyond HR.

“While this system is for HR management, it will also link to other resources. For example, the Mayor will be able to see in real time how many firefighters are on duty, how many vehicles are available, and who is on the road,” he said, pointing to the system’s potential to improve overall operational readiness.

Madlala also noted that the system allows applicants to update their personal records as circumstances change.

“Once you’ve uploaded your documents, they remain valid forever. The only updates needed are for life events, like a new qualification, a change in surname after marriage, or a new ID,” he said, stressing how the platform reduces repetitive administrative burdens for job seekers.

The decision to temporarily pause job advertisements was not taken lightly, Madlala said, especially in a city grappling with high youth unemployment.

“It took us some time and bravery to make the decision because people are looking for jobs. Thousands apply for just a few vacancies, sometimes spending their own money to attend interviews,” he said, framing the pause as a necessary step to ensure a smoother, fairer system.

“We are digitising all systems,” Madlala said.

“The long-term goal is for leadership to access real-time data on staffing, attendance, and resources, improving efficiency across the City.”

The system is expected to go live in February 2026.

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