By Thapelo Molefe
Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has warned Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) that poor governance, misuse of public funds and resistance to oversight will not be tolerated, saying institutions that undermine public trust will face consequences.
Delivering the keynote address at the induction of newly appointed SETA Accounting Authorities and chief executive officers in Boksburg on Thursday, Manamela said the skills development system was entering a period of reform aimed at improving governance, accountability and performance.
He told the newly appointed boards and executives that their appointments carried significant public responsibility because SETAs controlled substantial public resources and played a key role in developing the country’s workforce.
“Your appointment is not an administrative honour. It is a public duty,” Manamela said.
“You have been entrusted with institutions that control substantial public resources, that shape the future of entire industries, and that touch the lives of millions – workers, unemployed young people, students, employers and communities.”
The minister said South Africa could not afford “another season of institutional drift, weak governance, and programmes that consume public money without producing public value.”
He said the department was implementing a broader “Skills Revolution” that would shift the focus from measuring activity to measuring outcomes such as employment, productivity and economic development.
“The Skills Revolution is not a slogan. It is a programme to reorganise the skills system around the developmental needs of the country,” he said.
Manamela stressed that SETAs should no longer see themselves as grant-disbursing agencies or procurement centres but as strategic institutions responsible for identifying skills shortages, supporting workplace learning and responding to changing labour market needs.
He also warned Accounting Authorities and executive management against governance failures, saying board members should not interfere in operational matters or use their positions to pursue personal interests.
“Board members must not use their seats to chase contracts, appointments, or the interests of those who nominated them,” he said.
“Chief Executives must not treat their boards as ceremonial.”
The minister said several SETAs had required intervention in recent years because of governance failures and investigations involving bodies such as the Special Investigating Unit, the Public Protector and the National Skills Authority.
He announced that cooperation with the National Skills Authority (NSA) would become mandatory, warning that delays, incomplete disclosure and obstruction of oversight would no longer be accepted.
“We will not tolerate delayed documents. We will not tolerate selective disclosure. We will not tolerate correspondence that goes unanswered,” Manamela said.
“Delay is not cooperation. Partial cooperation is not cooperation. And respect for lawful oversight is not optional.”
Manamela said government would support institutions that demonstrated improvement but would act against those guilty of persistent non-performance or misuse of public resources.
“Where there is obstruction, concealment, persistent non-performance, the misuse of public resources, or defiance of lawful oversight – there will be consequences,” he said.
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