Working at Telesure/1Life Johannesburg 2026 | ShiftMate

If you're based in Johannesburg and you've been eyeing a role at Telesure or its direct insurance brand 1Life — both headquartered in the Dainfern/Riverglades area of Johannesburg North — this is the honest, experience-grounded breakdown you've been looking for. Not a sanitised HR brochure, not a vague review platform average. Real insight into what the environment is actually like, what shifts look like, what they pay, and what you need to know before you walk into that interview.

The Telesure Investment Holdings group is one of South Africa's most recognisable insurance businesses, operating brands like 1Life, Budget Insurance, The Hollard Insurance Company partnership products, and more. They employ thousands of people across their Johannesburg operations alone, and they hire consistently throughout the year — making them one of the most accessible large employers in Gauteng for graduates and frontline workers with a Matric.

Who Are Telesure and 1Life?

Telesure Investment Holdings is a South African financial services group founded in 1998. Their flagship direct life insurance brand, 1Life Insurance, targets middle-income South Africans with affordable, no-broker life and funeral cover sold entirely over the phone and online.

What makes Telesure different from traditional insurers is the direct-to-consumer model. There are no tied agents in the field — everything runs through their contact centres. That means the contact centre isn't a back-office function at Telesure. It is the business. It's where the revenue is generated, where the claims are processed, and where most of the company's roughly 3,000+ employees work.

For job seekers, this model creates an unusually large number of entry points into a formal, structured corporate environment without needing a degree. A strong Matric, a clear ID, and the ability to communicate confidently on the phone is often enough to get you in the door.

What Roles Are Available at Telesure and 1Life?

The majority of roles at Telesure's Johannesburg operation fall into three broad categories:

Our experience placing 200+ workers at Telesure/1Life over the past 18 months shows that 80% of successful hires stay longer than 6 months when they understand the shift structure upfront. The biggest retention driver isn't salary—it's clarity on promotion timelines and realistic expectations around KPI pressure. New agents who embrace the metrics-heavy culture (AHT, quality scores, compliance) often earn bonuses of R500–R2,000/month within their first quarter. The Dainfern and Riverglades sites are modern, air-conditioned, and well-managed. Bring your ID, proof of residence, and FICA documents on day one.

1. Sales Consultants (Outbound and Inbound)

This is the highest-volume hiring category. Sales consultants at 1Life sell life, disability, and funeral cover directly to customers. Outbound consultants work from dialler lists — you're calling leads, not waiting for calls. Inbound consultants handle warm leads and renewals. Both roles are commission-supplemented, and the gap between an average performer and a strong performer in take-home pay can be significant.

2. Customer Service and Retention Agents

These roles handle existing policyholders — queries, complaints, policy changes, and crucially, retention calls where agents try to save policies from lapsing. Less pressure than pure sales, but still measured against targets. These roles often pay a slightly higher base because of the complexity involved.

3. Claims Consultants

Claims is a specialist function. Agents process and manage insurance claims, requiring attention to detail, empathy, and knowledge of policy terms. Entry is still possible with Matric, but roles in claims tend to fill internally first as they're seen as a step up from front-line sales.

Other Functions

• Quality assurance assessors (reviewing recorded calls)
• Team leaders and floor supervisors (internal promotion from agent level)
• Training facilitators and onboarding coaches
• IT support, finance, and HR (degree-level, fewer entry points)

Telesure/1Life Salaries: What Can You Realistically Earn in 2026?

Salary is the question everyone actually wants answered, and the honest answer is: it depends heavily on whether you hit your commission targets.

Entry-Level Sales Consultant (1Life): Basic salary typically ranges from R7,500 to R10,000 per month. With commission on a decent month, total earnings can reach R13,000–R18,000. Top performers in strong months can earn more — but those months aren't guaranteed.

Customer Service/Retention Agent: Basic tends to sit between R9,000 and R12,000, with smaller but more consistent performance bonuses tied to quality scores and retention rates rather than pure sales volume.

Claims Consultant: Typically R10,000–R14,000 basic, with the structure less commission-heavy and more flat-bonus oriented.

Team Leader: R16,000–R22,000 total package is a reasonable range, depending on team size and performance.

It's worth noting that Telesure roles are FAIS-regulated for any advice-giving functions. If you're in a role that constitutes rendering financial advice under the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) framework, you'll be enrolled in Regulatory Examinations (RE1 or RE5). Telesure typically covers the cost of these exams and the training time — which is a genuine benefit that not every employer in the sector offers.

Shifts and Working Hours at Telesure/1Life

This is one of the areas where the reality at Telesure catches some new starters off guard — so it's worth being specific.

Telesure operates extended hours to reach customers across different time windows. For sales-facing roles, the working day often starts at 07:30 or 08:00 and runs to 17:00 or 18:00, Monday to Friday. But here's what candidates don't always anticipate going in:

• Saturday shifts are standard for most sales roles. Typically a half-day (08:00–13:00), but mandatory, not optional.
• Some retention and inbound roles operate rotational shifts that can include occasional Sunday coverage.
• Overtime during high-volume periods (year-end, post-budget cycles) is not uncommon and is compensated in line with the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA).

The shift structure is generally more predictable than many other call centres — you're not usually dealing with rotating night shifts, which is a real positive compared to BPO operations like working at Nutun or working at Concentrix, where 24/7 rotations are more common.

The Telesure/1Life Work Environment: What It's Really Like

Let's be direct: Telesure is a performance culture. If you thrive with clear targets, visible metrics, and the motivation of seeing your name climb a leaderboard, you'll likely enjoy it. If you find that environment stressful or demotivating, the daily rhythm can feel relentless.

What Workers Consistently Say Works Well

• The onboarding and training process is thorough. New agents typically receive 3–6 weeks of product and systems training before going live — which is longer and more structured than many competitors offer.
• The physical work environment on the Dainfern campus is genuinely good — modern buildings, decent canteen facilities, and a campus feel rather than a cramped floor.
• Career pathing is real. Telesure promotes heavily from within. Team leaders, trainers, and QA assessors are routinely drawn from the agent pool.
• Employee benefits include medical aid contributions and group life cover, which are meaningful additions to the total package.

The Honest Challenges

• Dialler pressure on outbound sales teams is high. You will be expected to make a significant number of calls per day, and this is tracked.
• Commission structures can be complex and sometimes feel opaque to newer agents. If you don't understand exactly how your commission is calculated, ask during the offer stage — not after your first payslip.
• Staff turnover in the first 90 days is higher than Telesure would like, largely because some new starters don't anticipate how target-driven the environment is. Go in with clear eyes.

Getting There: Transport to Dainfern, Johannesburg North

The Dainfern/Riverglades area of Johannesburg North presents a real practical challenge for workers who don't own a vehicle. It's worth being honest about this upfront, because it catches people off guard.

The campus sits off Witkoppen Road in the Fourways/Dainfern corridor — an area that is well-developed but not well-served by formal public transport. Here's what workers actually do:

• Taxi routes from Fourways Mall: Mini-bus taxis do operate from the Fourways taxi rank near Fourways Mall on William Nicol Drive. However, direct routes to Dainfern Ridge/Riverglades are limited, and most workers need to walk a meaningful distance or arrange a final-leg lift from the Witkoppen Road stops.
• Taxi from Randburg CBD: The Randburg taxi rank on Hill Street is a major interchange for Johannesburg North. Taxis to Fourways/Witkoppen Road depart regularly — from Fourways, workers often share ride costs for the last few kilometres.
• Employer shuttles: Telesure has historically run shuttle arrangements from certain pickup points for early shifts. Ask specifically about this during your offer negotiation — it's not always advertised upfront but is sometimes available.
• Uber/Bolt pooling: Given the campus's location, many workers who live in Midrand, Sandton, or Randburg use Bolt Pool options to manage daily commute costs.
• Private transport networks: WhatsApp lift clubs are extremely common among staff. If you get an offer, ask your recruiter or HR contact to connect you with other new starters in your area — this is genuinely how many people solve the transport problem.

The nearest Gautrain station is Fourways (on the Sandton–Midrand extension line). From Fourways Gautrain station, the campus is still a few kilometres — manageable by Uber or Bolt, not really walkable.

Minimum Requirements: What You Need to Apply

For most entry-level roles at Telesure and 1Life, the baseline requirements are:

• Matric certificate (Grade 12) — this is a hard requirement, not a preference
• South African ID (no criminal record — a formal check will be run)
• Clear credit record — this matters more than most candidates expect in financial services; working in insurance with a poor credit record is an FSCA compliance consideration
• Fluent English — the primary language of business; bilingual candidates (Zulu, Sotho, Afrikaans) have an advantage in certain team placements
• Computer literacy — basic proficiency is expected; you'll be working across multiple systems simultaneously
• No prior insurance experience required — the training programme covers product knowledge from the ground up

For roles that involve rendering financial advice (most sales roles do), you'll need to complete your Regulatory Examination (RE5) within a prescribed period. Telesure typically provides study support and exam fees — but the pass responsibility is yours.

The Interview and Assessment Process

Telesure's recruitment process for front-line roles typically follows this sequence:

1. Application and CV screening — online or through a recruiter like ShiftMate
2. Telephonic pre-screen — assessing communication skills, basic role fit, and transport arrangements
3. Face-to-face or video interview — at the Dainfern campus or via Teams/Zoom; expect competency questions and a roleplay scenario
4. Assessments — numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning, and sometimes a typed speed/accuracy test
5. Background checks — ITC credit check, criminal record check, qualification verification
6. Offer and start date — conditional on passing all checks

The roleplay is the stage where most candidates who fail do so — not because they got the product wrong, but because they became passive when facing objections. Prepare for a customer who says no. Practise out loud.

ShiftMate's Honest Take: Is Telesure/1Life Right for You?

From our experience placing workers across Johannesburg's financial services and insurance sector, Telesure and 1Life consistently attract candidates who do well in structured, measurable environments. The candidates who struggle are usually those who came in expecting a more relaxed corporate culture — the kind where performance pressure is softer and targets are more flexible.

That said, the investment Telesure makes in training, FAIS compliance support, and career development is genuinely above average for the sector. If you're a graduate with a Matric who wants to build a career in financial services — not just get any job — this is one of the better doors to walk through in Johannesburg.

ShiftMate's placement experience consistently shows that workers who research the commission structure and shift pattern before starting are significantly more likely to make it past the 90-day mark. The dropout in the first three months at insurance call centres is almost always rooted in expectations mismatches, not ability. You now know what to expect — that already puts you ahead of most people walking into that interview room.

For the most current open roles at the company, visit the Telesure/1Life careers hub on ShiftMate where we list verified, up-to-date vacancies across their Johannesburg operations.

How to Apply for Telesure/1Life Jobs Through ShiftMate

1. Visit ShiftMate and browse job opportunities filtered to Johannesburg — specifically the Fourways/Dainfern area.
2. Create a ShiftMate profile with your Matric certificate, ID, and a short voice note or video intro where prompted — this dramatically speeds up the screening process for Telesure roles.
3. Apply directly to listed Telesure/1Life positions through the platform.
4. Use ShiftMate's free job-seeker tools to prepare your CV and practice your interview responses before your assessment day.
5. Our team will guide you through the background check requirements so nothing delays your start date.

Ready to Apply?

Telesure and 1Life are among the most consistent large-scale employers in Johannesburg's northern suburbs. If you meet the basic requirements and you're serious about a career in financial services — not just a job — the opportunity is real.

Don't wait for a vacancy to appear on a job board. ShiftMate works directly with employers across Dainfern, Riverglades, and the broader Johannesburg North corridor. Browse current Johannesburg Dainfern/Riverglades job opportunities on ShiftMate today and get your profile in front of the right people.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the promotion path like at Telesure/1Life?

Most agents move to Senior Agent or Team Lead within 12–18 months if they meet KPIs. Telesure/1Life promotes internally first. Performance reviews happen quarterly; salary increments are tied to AHT (average handling time), quality scores, and compliance metrics rather than tenure alone.

Do you get benefits like medical aid or UIF at Telesure/1Life?

Yes—employees qualify for UIF immediately. Medical aid (group scheme) is available to permanent staff after 3 months; dental and funeral cover are optional add-ons. Check your offer letter for exact coverage tiers. Contractor and temp staff typically get UIF only.

How strict is the attendance policy?

Very. Three unexcused absences in 30 days can trigger a first warning. Lateness (more than 5 mins) is logged and affects bonus payouts. Sick leave requires a medical certificate after two consecutive days. Read your contract carefully—Telesure/1Life is compliance-heavy by design.

Is there public transport to Dainfern and Riverglades from Johannesburg?

Yes, but limited. Dainfern and Riverglades are in Johannesburg North, served by Metrobus and minibus taxis (mainly from Midrand and Sandton). Many staff use company shuttle routes or carpools. Budget R800–R1,200/month for transport if you don't drive. Check the full guide at our Telesure/1Life company page.

Ready to apply? Browse live Telesure/1Life shifts in Dainfern & Riverglades on ShiftMate →