Over 15 000 job seekers converged on the Royal Showgrounds in Pietermaritzburg for the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport’s traffic officer recruitment drive. By mid-morning, more than 7 000 applicants had completed assessment tests, leading to heavy traffic congestion in the city.

The province is seeking to fill just 278 posts, including 200 trainee and 67 provincial inspector positions. Msunduzi Municipality apologised for the disruptions, as officials confirmed the strong turnout reflects intense demand for limited government jobs.