An electrician installs, tests, maintains and repairs electrical systems. In South Africa the trade is regulated: work on fixed electrical installations must be carried out by a competent person, and a certificate of compliance may only be issued by someone registered to do so. That regulation shapes the duties more than any employer does.
This guide sets out electrician duties and responsibilities, the daily routine, and how the work differs between domestic, commercial, industrial and construction settings. It sits in the Trades Technical duties and responsibilities cluster, part of the wider job duties guide.
What Does an Electrician Do?
An electrician reads a drawing or a fault report, works out what is required, and installs or repairs the installation to the applicable wiring code. The work splits roughly into new installation, fault finding and repair, and testing and certification.
Isolation is the duty that matters most. Proving a circuit dead, locking it out and tagging it before work starts is what separates a competent electrician from a dangerous one, and it applies no matter how routine the job appears.
Key Electrician Duties and Responsibilities
- Installing wiring, distribution boards, circuits, outlets, lighting and fixed equipment.
- Reading and working from electrical drawings, schematics and specifications.
- Isolating, locking out and proving circuits dead before starting work.
- Diagnosing faults on circuits, motors, control gear and distribution equipment.
- Carrying out repairs and replacing damaged or unsafe components.
- Testing installations, including earth continuity, insulation resistance and earth leakage.
- Completing test records and, where registered to do so, issuing certificates of compliance.
- Performing planned preventive maintenance on electrical plant and installations.
- Working to the applicable wiring code and the employer’s safe work procedures.
- Supervising and checking the work of assistants and apprentices.
- Estimating materials, requisitioning stock and recording what was used on each job.
- Completing job cards, test sheets and handover documentation.
Daily Tasks of an Electrician
- Start of day: collect job cards, check drawings and permits, load tools, instruments and materials.
- Before work: assess the area, obtain the permit where required, isolate and prove dead.
- Through the day: install or repair, test as you go, and keep the work area safe and tidy.
- On completion: test the installation, restore supply in a controlled way and confirm operation.
- End of day: complete test sheets and job cards, record materials used and report outstanding work.
Electrician Skills and Competencies
- Code knowledge: working to the applicable wiring code rather than to habit.
- Fault finding: systematic diagnosis instead of replacing parts until the problem stops.
- Drawing literacy: reading schematics, layouts and single-line diagrams accurately.
- Test instrument competence: using and interpreting insulation, continuity and leakage tests.
- Safety discipline: isolation, lock-out and proving dead, every time.
- Record keeping: test results and certificates that will stand up to inspection.
Electrician Duties by Workplace or Industry
Domestic and Residential
Duties centre on house wiring, distribution board work, earth leakage faults, geyser and stove connections, and issuing certificates of compliance on property transfer. Customer communication is a real part of the job.
Commercial Buildings
Work covers lighting installations, distribution, emergency and standby systems, and planned maintenance, usually scheduled around tenants and outside business hours.
Industrial and Manufacturing
Duties add motor control, three-phase distribution, control panels, instrumentation and breakdown response, with permit-to-work systems and pressure to restore production quickly and safely.
Construction Sites
First and second fix installation against programme, temporary site supply, coordination with other trades, and site-specific safety inductions and appointments under construction regulations.
Electrician Duties for a CV
Lead with your trade test and registration status, then the type of installation you worked on. Employers screen on those first. Use the duties for a CV guide for the method.
- Installed and maintained three-phase distribution and motor control equipment across a manufacturing plant.
- Diagnosed and repaired breakdown faults, restoring production with an average response time under 40 minutes.
- Tested installations and completed test records, issuing certificates of compliance where registered to do so.
- Supervised two apprentices on site, checking their work before energising any circuit.
Related Job Roles and Responsibilities
These guides cover the roles and next steps most closely related to this one.
- Handyman duties and responsibilities
- IT Technician duties and responsibilities
- Safety Officer duties and responsibilities
- Trades, technical and operations duties
- Job description duties and responsibilities
Frequently Asked Questions About Electrician Duties
What are the duties of an electrician?
Installing wiring, boards, circuits and fixed equipment; working from drawings; isolating and proving circuits dead; diagnosing and repairing faults; testing installations; completing test records and certificates where registered; performing preventive maintenance; and supervising assistants.
Who may issue a certificate of compliance?
Only a person registered as competent to do so under the applicable electrical installation regulations. Holding a trade test alone does not automatically confer that right. Confirm the current requirements with the Department of Employment and Labour and your employer.
What is the difference between an electrician and an electrical assistant?
A qualified electrician may work on and certify installations within their registration. An assistant supports that work under supervision and may not certify it or take responsibility for the installation.
How do you become a qualified electrician in South Africa?
The usual route is an apprenticeship or learnership combining workplace experience with theory, followed by a trade test. Additional registration is required to issue certificates of compliance. Requirements change, so confirm the current position with the relevant authority.
Duties vary by employer and sector. Electrical work is regulated, and the applicable legislation, wiring code and your registration status take precedence over this general guide.
Last reviewed: 2 September 2026