BOKSBURG, Gauteng — Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has officially initiated a comprehensive SETA governance reset, challenging newly inducted sector leaders to execute a national “Skills Revolution” rather than merely administering funds. Speaking at the induction of Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) Accounting Authorities and Chief Executive Officers, Manamela delivered a stark warning that institutions failing to uphold public trust and strict accountability will face severe consequences.
Framing the leadership appointments as a profound civic obligation rather than a ceremonial title, the Minister emphasized that these institutions manage massive public resources and are pivotal to shaping the national workforce.
“Your appointment is not an administrative honour. It is a public duty,” Manamela stated. “The decisions you take in the next few years will help determine whether South Africa builds the capabilities it needs to industrialise, to create work, to raise productivity, and to become a more equal society.”
Eradicating Institutional Drift
This decisive mandate stems from a critical June 30 engagement with the National Skills Authority (NSA), where government officials formally agreed to launch a sweeping performance and governance overhaul across the SETA landscape. Manamela assured stakeholders that political leadership will maintain a hands-on approach to eliminate institutional drift and eradicate programs that drain public finances without delivering tangible value.
“It is because our people cannot afford another season of institutional drift, weak governance, and programmes that consume public money without producing public value,” he cautioned.
To combat South Africa’s entrenched macroeconomic challenges—including persistent unemployment, stark inequality, sluggish growth, technological disruption, and critical skills deficits—Manamela argued that minor tweaks are insufficient. Instead, he introduced the “Skills Revolution.” This initiative aims to completely restructure the skills development ecosystem to prioritize economic and developmental imperatives, shifting the core focus away from merely tracking training inputs to demanding measurable outcomes in employment, productivity, and overall development.
Redefining the SETA Mandate
Under this new paradigm, SETAs must evolve. They can no longer operate merely as passive grant-dispensing entities or bursary management offices. Instead, they must function as strategic economic drivers that synchronize workplace learning with actual industry demands.
Moving forward, future success will be evaluated on concrete metrics: closing critical skills gaps, scaling workplace-based learning, fortifying Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and community colleges, assisting workers through technological transitions, and expanding access to sustainable jobs.
Good governance remains the bedrock of this transformation, as operational failures directly damage learners, businesses, and communities. Manamela drew a hard line regarding the separation of powers to ensure operational integrity, warning executives against hoarding information from boards or establishing shadow power structures.
“The Accounting Authority must govern. Executive management must manage. Chairpersons must not become executive chairpersons. Board members must not use their seats to chase contracts, appointments, or the interests of those who nominated them,” Manamela directed.
Empowering the National Skills Authority
To enforce these new standards, the Minister announced a significantly expanded mandate for the National Skills Authority. He branded the NSA as the “evidence engine, consultation engine and governance conscience” of the national skills framework.
Manamela issued a zero-tolerance directive regarding the NSA’s lawful duties, stating that no SETA or official may obstruct or ignore the body.
“We will not tolerate delayed documents. We will not tolerate selective disclosure. We will not tolerate correspondence that goes unanswered,” he asserted.
A New Framework for Oversight
Moving forward, the operational relationship between the Department of Higher Education and Training, the NSA, and the SETAs will be heavily formalized. This includes the rollout of new governance guidelines, standardized induction protocols, quarterly performance evaluations, specific governance indicators, and intensified collaboration with the Auditor-General.
The address concluded with five non-negotiable commitments demanded from all SETA Accounting Authorities and CEOs:
1. Recognizing governance strictly as a public duty.
2. Ensuring full cooperation with all oversight institutions.
3. Prioritizing measurable, tangible outcomes.
4. Operating as a unified, integrated post-school education and training system.
5. Aligning all strategic efforts with the national Skills Revolution.
