Minister Refers MICT SETA Governance Concerns to National Skills Authority

Posted 21 July 2026 Written by Acts Online
Category Skills Development

Brought to you by SAnews: Governance and leadership concerns surrounding the Accounting Authority and executive management at the Media, Information and Communication Technologies Sector Education and Training Authority (MICT SETA) have been referred to the National Skills Authority (NSA) for formal assessment.

In terms of administrative oversight powers established under the Skills Development Act, No. 97 of 1998, Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela requested the NSA to execute a rapid governance assessment following executive instability, including recent resignations of senior executive management. The NSA has been tasked with establishing the underlying factual basis, evaluating internal governance processes, and recommending interventions required to safeguard institutional stability and regulatory compliance.

The scope of the NSA review includes the following mandates:

  • Establishing the factual sequence surrounding executive management resignations and leadership disputes;
  • Evaluating the Accounting Authority’s governance and oversight procedures against requirements under the Skills Development Act, No. 97 of 1998 and the Public Finance Management Act, No. 1 of 1999;
  • Delivering an interim briefing to the Minister on urgent governance and operational risks; and
  • Submitting a comprehensive final report detailing actionable recommendations to preserve institutional integrity and service delivery.

The Department of Higher Education and Training confirmed that core SETA operations—including mandatory and discretionary grant funding, learner support programmes, and employer skills initiatives—will continue without interruption during the assessment process.

What this means for you, your business, or your clients

  • For yourself: No direct individual compliance obligations arise; legal, accounting, and compliance professionals engaged in SETA-accredited training or learnership programmes should continue submitting routine documentation under existing frameworks.
  • For your business: Employers filing Workplace Skills Plans (WSPs) or Annual Training Reports (ATRs) with MICT SETA should proceed as scheduled, as mandatory grant processing and levy disbursements remain operationally active.
  • For your clients: Entities holding discretionary grant agreements or skills funding contracts with MICT SETA should ensure strict adherence to all contract reporting milestones and maintain records, as heightened statutory oversight may result in governance audits following the NSA findings.

Originally published at https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/mict-seta-governance-concerns-referred-skills-authority

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