Teaching Jobs in Cape Town, South Africa

Sitting pristinely on the southern tip of Africa, Cape Town is widely hailed as one of the most beautiful, influential, and multicultural cities on the continent. South Africa’s second largest city has for centuries been a top destination for immigrants from all over the world, reflecting its diverse character, and recently it was also named the very best place in the world to visit by the New York Times. Not convinced yet that traveling to teach abroad in Cape Town will be an incredible experience? Make the leap and prove yourself wrong.

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1 Teaching Jobs in Cape Town

International Volunteer HQ [IVHQ]

9.55

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Worlds #1 Volunteer Programs. 40+ Countries from $20/day!

At International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ), we unite people from over 96 countries who want to make a meaningful difference while exploring the world. With 300+ projects in 40+ destinations, IVHQ offers the widest selection of volunteer programs globally—from Teaching and Childcare to Wildlife Conservation, Medical Outreach, and Environmental Sustainability. Since 2007, IVHQ has supported over 147,000 volunteers on life-changing journeys. We specialize in fully-hosted volunteer trips that are safe, affordable, and accessible—starting from just $20 per day. Your experience includes airport pick-up, accommodation, meals, and round-the-clock support from our local teams. With flexible booking options and no change fees, planning your volunteer adventure has never been easier. Our programs run year-round and are available for 1 to 24 weeks across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Pacific, South and Central America, North America, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. Volunteering with IVHQ is about more than giving back—it’s about growing, learning, and building genuine global connections.

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GoEco - Top Volunteer Organization

9.57

South Africa - Teach, Surf and Skate in Cape Town

This project is an adventure club for 12-14 year old children focused primarily on extramural surfing and swimming lessons. The adventure club provides children with a valuable opportunity to take part in a range of outdoor activities from surfing and swimming to hiking and even sandboarding. An orientation in Cape Town is provided before the start of the project. There are anywhere from 5 to 20 children participating in the club every week. Volunteers are able to take free surf lessons during the school day and then help teach and lead groups of children after school. There are also opportunities to assist in community development or to help teach computer skills in schools during the day. Activities include teaching kids to swim, skate and surf, helping on hikes and running fun days and sports programs. so far over 300 children have learned to swim and over 80 have learned to surf!

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A Guide to Teaching Abroad in Cape Town

Teaching Jobs in Cape Town

While English is the most common language you will hear throughout the city, the fact remains that over 70% of Cape Town’s population are not first-language speakers (35% speak Afrikaans, 30% speak Xhosa, and 8% speak one of South Africa’s other 11 official languages). This means that there is a large market for ESL teachers to teach abroad in Cape Town, helping second language speakers learn English and gain the leg up they need to compete in an increasingly globalized city.

Throughout South Africa, most teaching positions you find will be on a volunteer basis, and this trend is no different in Cape Town. South Africa remains a developing country, and so while Cape Town is a relatively prosperous port city, most national educational resources are already allocated to local teachers. Your best luck will be looking for work at language schools or on volunteer projects, where international educators have the opportunity to teach at low income schools or across the city.

This is not to say, however, that finding a salaried job to teach abroad in South Africa is impossible. If you are a qualified, experienced international educator, then you can look into positions teaching at private academies or international schools across the city, of which there are plenty. This will also open the door to move beyond ESL to teach other subjects such as math, science, and history.

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Latest Program Reviews

Three weeks volunteering in Siem Reap

August 11, 2025by: Olivia Aurora Lamassa - SwitzerlandProgram: Worlds #1 Volunteer Programs. 40+ Countries from $20/day!

I spent three weeks volunteering at Salariin Kampuchea Learning Center in Siem Reap, where I helped teach English to younger students and supported the development of their social media presence. It was one of the most enriching experiences I’ve ever had. Some days were more challenging than others—adapting to a new environment and finding ways to communicate across cultures. But what I’ll carry with me, more than anything, is the deep sense of connection I felt with the people. I can confidently say I’ve grown and learned so much, and that’s something I’ll always be grateful for. Living and working within the local community gave me a complete perspective shift. I was struck by their warmth and generosity, and the quiet strength with which they face life. From the very beginning, I felt welcomed. The children, the staff, and my host family made me feel included from the start, making it easy to feel at home throughout my time there

The most wholesome experience

March 26, 2025by: Ayshe Z Mercan - United KingdomProgram: Worlds #1 Volunteer Programs. 40+ Countries from $20/day!

The programme insured that whilst getting my teaching experience, I learnt loads about the history of the children in this area. It has been the most eye opening experience and I am so grateful to have been part of it, I will be back!! The team were super supportive and ensured we were safe at all times. This was my first time solo travelling and I felt confident to flourish and be adventurous in the beautiful South Africa!