Pruning and Thinning Crew Worker

Hard, outdoor work on a fire protection association near Richards Bay, with training on chainsaws and fire safety. This role rewards consistency more than flash.

The work is in Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, so you'll need a reliable way to get there every day. The first two weeks are spent shadowing someone experienced.

• Fight veld fires with beaters and water packs under a crew leader
• Clear and maintain firebreaks during the dry season
• Fell, debranch and cross-cut trees with a chainsaw
• Stack logs by length for loading onto trucks
• Apply herbicide around young trees as instructed
• Prune lower branches with pruning saws and ladders

• Available for early starts and fire-season standby
• Able to work in a crew and follow the crew leader
• Willing to work in remote areas
• Valid ID
• Passes the medical check for fire crews
• Follows safety rules strictly around machines and fires

• First-aid training
• Previous plantation or sawmill experience

• Chainsaw and fire training at no cost
• Fire-season standby allowance
• Crew transport to plantations
• Full safety gear provided

• If you have a chainsaw ticket, put it at the top. Certified operators earn more and are hired first.
• Say you are fit and do not mind remote sites. Many applicants drop out after the first week, so recruiters test commitment.