Government youth portal
SA Youth registration: sign up on sayouth.mobi
Join the SA Youth network in about 4 minutes to access jobs, learnerships, the YES programme, the Teacher Assistant programme (BEEI), and free work-readiness content.
Updated 17 May 2026 ·By GoCareers
Start your SA Youth registration - Registration URL
- sayouth.mobi/Join
- Time needed
- ~4 minutes
- Age
- 18–34
- Cost
- Free
- Documents
- None to upload
- Verification
- SMS OTP
Who can register
- South African citizens aged 18–34 with a valid 13-digit ID number
- Refugee ID holders living in South Africa
- Holders of a valid South African work permit
- Permanent residents with a permanent residency permit
- Education is NOT required — registration is open to anyone in the age range; specific opportunities set their own requirements
What you'll need to hand
- Your 13-digit SA ID number (or refugee/work-permit number)
- An active cell phone number — for the SMS OTP
- Your home postal code (look it up if unsure)
- A personal email address (optional but recommended)
- Education level and any qualifications (optional at this stage)
- Work experience details (optional — add to profile later)
Step by step
-
Open the registration page
Go to sayouth.mobi/Join. On Vodacom, MTN, Cell C, Telkom or Virgin Mobile, use sayouth.datafree.co/Join to register without using data.Tip: Already registered with Harambee or Tshepo 1 Million? Don't re-register — go to /apply/sa-youth-login and sign in with your existing details. -
Tap "I'm ready to join"
On the intro screen, tap the green "I'm ready to join" button. SA Youth tells you the full flow takes around 4 minutes. -
Enter your personal details
Type your ID number, full name (exactly as on your ID), surname, date of birth, and gender. Use your legal name — the system checks against Home Affairs records.Tip: Double-check your ID number — once submitted, you can't change it from inside your profile. -
Add your contact details
Enter your active cell number, your home postal code, and optionally a WhatsApp number and email. The cell number receives the OTP, so use one you can access right now. -
Create your password
Choose a password with at least 8 characters and one number. Your username will default to your ID number — keep this as-is unless you have a reason to change it. -
Verify the OTP
SA Youth sends a one-time PIN to your cell number. Type it into the verification box. If it doesn't arrive in 5 minutes, tap Resend. -
Accept the terms
Tick the Terms & Conditions box and continue. You can read the full terms on sayouth.mobi/Candidate/TermsAndConditions. -
Complete the profile questionnaire
Answer questions on education level, work experience, skills, languages, and the kinds of opportunities you want. SA Youth uses this to match jobs near your postal code.Tip: Be honest about your skills — saying you can do something you can't is a fast way to get rejected at interview. -
Land on your dashboard
You're in. The dashboard shows matched opportunities near you, your profile completion bar, and a My Applications tab. Profiles below 80% complete get fewer matches — finish all the optional fields when you can.
What you can do once you're registered
SA Youth aggregates opportunities from government, NGOs and private employers across South Africa. Once you're registered you can:
- Apply for entry-level jobs in retail, hospitality, call centres, admin, security, agriculture, trades and more
- Apply for learnerships and apprenticeships from across the SETAs
- Apply for the YES Programme — 12-month paid placements with stipend
- Apply for EPWP placements — Expanded Public Works Programme
- Apply for BEEI Teacher Assistant and General School Assistant roles — the annual Basic Education Employment Initiative
- Access free work-readiness content — CV writing, interview prep, financial literacy, digital skills
- Get SMS and WhatsApp alerts when new matched opportunities open
After you register: 3 things to do today
Registration is the start, not the finish. To get your profile noticed:
-
Complete every field in your profile
Profiles below 80% complete fall down the matching algorithm. Add education, work history, languages, and a profile photo. -
Set realistic location preferences
Some users tick only their suburb and then complain there are no jobs. Open your filter to at least your district or province. -
Check your dashboard at least 3 times a week
Popular roles (Teacher Assistant, retail learnerships) close within days of opening. Daily check-ins win.
Already registered? You don't need to register again
If you've ever signed up with Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, Tshepo 1 Million, or the old SA Youth platform — you already have an account. Trying to re-register triggers an "already registered" error.
Use the login flow instead: How to log in to SA Youth. If you've forgotten your password, the same page explains how to reset it.
Registration troubleshooting
- "ID number already registered"
- You have a previous Harambee or SA Youth account. Go to the login page and use Forgot Password.
- "Invalid ID number"
- Check you've typed all 13 digits, no spaces. If it still fails, your ID may not be registered with Home Affairs — visit a Home Affairs office to confirm.
- OTP never arrives
- Wait 5 minutes, then tap Resend. Check signal and airtime. If it still fails, try a different cell number or call 0800 72 72 72.
- Page won't load
- Load R5 of data (needed even for the zero-rated route), clear cache, or try Wi-Fi.
Frequently asked questions
Is SA Youth registration really free?
Yes — 100% free. SA Youth is run by Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator as the delivery partner of the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention. You will never be asked to pay to register, to apply, for training, for a uniform, or to 'secure' a placement. Anyone asking for money is a scammer — report them to 0800 72 72 72.
How old do you have to be to register?
Registration is open to South Africans aged 18 to 34. Some programmes (like the Teacher Assistant BEEI) have specific age cut-offs — typically you must be under 35 on a particular date.
Can I register without a matric?
Yes. SA Youth registration itself has no education requirement. Many opportunities on the platform — like general worker, EPWP, retail and security roles — do not require matric. Specific learnerships and learnerships set their own minimum education.
Do I need to upload my CV to register?
No. Your SA Youth profile is your CV — the questions you answer during registration generate the document employers see. You can optionally upload a PDF CV later from your profile page.
Can foreigners register on SA Youth?
Refugee ID holders, valid SA work-permit holders, and permanent residents can register. Tourists, visitors, asylum-seekers without refugee status, and foreign students cannot.
How long does it take to get matched to jobs?
Matched opportunities appear on your dashboard immediately after you complete the profile questionnaire. Whether they're a good fit depends on your postal code, education level, and preferences — complete every field for the best matches.
What's the difference between sayouth.mobi and sayouth.datafree.co?
They're the same platform. The .datafree.co address is the zero-rated route — on Vodacom, MTN, Cell C, Telkom and Virgin Mobile it uses no data. The .mobi address works the same way but may use data if your network's zero-rating isn't active.
How do I register if I don't have my own phone?
You can use any cell number, including a family member's, for the OTP. Just remember which number you used — you'll need access to it for password resets. If you switch later, call 0800 72 72 72 to update the registered number.
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Last updated 17 May 2026. We review and refresh this guide regularly —
if something here is out of date, let us know.