Upvote:6
No, you can't
La Polizia di stato states :
Foreign workers must obtain the required visa from an Italian consulate in their country of origin or residence.
Or would it be possible to apply in Italy for the visa
There are no Italian consulates in Italy and visas aren't issued on the country soil
You would be tempted to apply for a residence permit, but this again isn't a possibility, as you aren't allowed to reside on the basis of a tourist visa.
You need the relevant national D visa and also the relevant work authorization to be allowed to work in Italy and this can only be done from South Africa