Section O

Section O of the SIC 7 covers public administration and defence, as well as compulsory social security activities, with 22 SIC codes describing the work of national, provincial and local government, the South African National Defence Force, and statutory bodies that administer compulsory social security schemes such as UIF, Compensation Fund and the Road Accident Fund.

The codes describe activities such as general public administration, regulation of economic and social policy, foreign affairs, defence, public order and safety (police, fire, prisons, courts), as well as the administration of state pensions and unemployment benefits. Each SIC code page on the site provides the official Stats SA description, the parent division (84), the SETA allocation — primarily PSETA for public-service administration, LGSETA for local government, SASSETA for police, justice and correctional services — and links to related OFO occupation codes and NQF qualifications.

Use Section O when classifying a government department, a state-owned entity, a municipality or a public sector employer, completing public-service workplace skills plans, applying the Public Service Act provisions, or preparing PFMA / MFMA reports. The classification is also relevant for civil-society researchers and journalists analysing the structure of South Africa’s public sector.

Whether you work in a national department, a provincial treasury, a municipality, a defence unit or a statutory social security fund, Section O provides the correct SIC reference and connects it to the wider public-service skills and compliance framework.