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Were you told that gold mining in southern Africa started after 1852? Or that the export of iron, steel, copper and gold began in the late 19th century? Or that South Africa became integrated into a global trading system only after 1652?

Watching various news media reports, there appears to be some confusion over the difference between the definition of a Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA), and a SETA Accounting Authority (AA). 

The difference was not clear in the original Skills Development Act 97 of 1988.

SETAs are covered in Chapter 3 of the Skills Development Act, Sections 9 to 15.

There are 21 SETAs, and each SETA has an AA. The AA is what was previously called the Board of the SETA.

From the early years of skills development – after the 2000 implementation, there has been a succession of media headlines involving Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs), involving various forms of mismanagement of funds. Ministers Mdladlana and Nzimande, particularly, have responded by implementing amendments to the Skills Development Act 97 of 1998, in 2003, 2008, and 2011, attempting to establish better financial controls. 

But it seems we are never entirely free of the headlines. 

Further Update

The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) Minister Dr. Nobuhle Nkabane has issued an apology to Advocate Terry Motau for incorrectly stating that he chaired the Selection and Evaluation Panel, which conducted the filtering process on over 500 applications for the 21 Chairpersons roles at Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) Accounting Authorities (previously known as SETA Boards). 

News Update

The named Panel Chair of the Selection and Evaluation Panel denies being part of the panel.

5 June 2025 Update on this post.

At a further meeting on Wednesday 4 June, 2025 the Parliamentary Committee on Higher Education members agreed to send a letter to DHET Minister Nkabane requesting the names of the panel members, who were responsible for conducting the review of over 500 applications for Chairpersons of the 21 SETAs, in order to present a shortlist of appointments to the Minister.

The Meeting Agenda 

Under the programme banner of Women in Solidarity, attendance at the first day meeting was either in person at Lagoon Beach, Cape Town, or online. Either form of attendance would have generated a similar gamut of emotion. There was pride in the identification of South Africa as being eminently suitable as the country host for this year, given South Africa’s own legacy of emerging from struggle, the spirit of ubuntu, and using the metaphor of emerging through fog – with a wish for attendees to “stay with us next year – no matter what”. 

Coal fired power stations produce 85% of South Africa’s electricity, making the country the biggest producer of harmful greenhouse-gas emissions in Africa.

South Africa is immersed in a “just energy transition” from a fossil fuel-based energy system to a cleaner, low-carbon energy system. This new system will be based primarily on renewable energy, such as solar, wind and green hydrogen.

Three South African environmental and climate justice organisations took the South African government to court in November 2021, to challenge the authorisation of new coal-fired power as part of the country’s energy mix. Three years later, the court ruled that the government’s new coal plans were unlawful, invalid, and against the country’s constitution. Therefore, these plans cannot go ahead.

South Africa’s move to renewable energy means that the coal industry will be phased out over the coming decades. This transition away from a fossil-fuel based economy will affect over 100,000 workers in coal mining and coal-fired power generation – and their families.