Public Services & Government

The FP&M SETA was established by the Minister of Higher Education on 1 ApriI, 20II, following the government's strategic decision to cluster sectors and strengthen value-chain linkages between related industries. The SETA encompasses a diverse range of subsectors, including clothing, footwear, forestry, furniture, general goods, leather, packaging, print media, printing, publishing, pulp and paper, textiles and wood products. These subsectors, while distinct, are intricately interconnected, collectively adding immense value to consumers' lives. The FP&M sector is embracing the advancements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and looking ahead to the Fifth Industrial Revolution (5IR), and so, the sector is evolving rapidly. Innovations in automation, artificial intelligence, and digitalisation are driving efficiency and sustainability, while human-centric approaches are enhancing the quality and customisation of its products. In fact, it is almost impossible to go through a day without using one or more products manufactured within the FP&M sector.

The vision of the Finance and Accounting Services Sector Education and Training Authority (FASSET) is to facilitate the achievement of world-class finance and accounting services skills. The mission of the FASSET is to increase the flow of new finance and accountancy entrants into employment; develop and grow the skills required in the sector; and facilitate transformation of the finance and accountancy sector. The objectives of FASSET are to: develop the competence of employees and potential employees; increase the levels of investment in education and training and optimise the return on this investment; position this sector as the ‘sector of career choice' for prospective learners and entrants into the labour market; encourage employers and employees to adopt a culture of lifelong learning; support the objectives of the Employment Equity Act of 1998; enhance access to learning opportunities and facilitate the recognition of prior learning; ensure the quality of education and training in the sector; expand the provision of education and training in this sector through sound partnerships with public and private sector service providers; encourage greater cooperation between the public and private sectors; and cooperate with the South African Qualifications Authority and other SETAs, in support of the objectives of the Act. "

The mission of the Food and Beverage Manufacturing Industry Sector Education and Training Authority (FoodBev SETA) is to ensure that: relevant and quality learning standards and qualifications are available in this sector; a high quality of learning provision is maintained in this sector; and access to knowledge and skills is improved for all in the sector. FoodBev SETA's function is to promote, facilitate and incentivise skills development in the food and beverages manufacturing sector.

The functional sectors represented by the Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority (HWSETA) in South Africa include the health, social development and veterinary sectors. Its mission is to create an integrated approach to the development and provision of appropriately skilled health and social development workers, to render quality services comparable to world-class standards. HWSETA has a broad mandate, but its key objectives are: to develop and implement the Sector Skills Plan; skills development planning, programmes and initiatives; monitoring of education and training; identification of workplaces for practical work experience; to support and facilitate the development of the National Skills Development Strategy; disbursement of levies collected; to forge links with all stakeholders and relevant bodies; to account for the effective and efficient use of public monies in line with the provisions of the Public Finance Management Act; and the promotion of the employment of disabled persons.

The purpose of the Insurance Sector Education and Training Authority (Inseta) is to grow the pool and quality of scarce and critical skills in the insurance sector, enhancing the sector and supporting the country's transformation. Inseta's strategic goals are: a credible institutional mechanism for skills planning; increased access to occupationally directed programmes; better use of workplace-based skills development; training and support provided to sector cooperatives, small enterprises and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs); effective established career and vocational guidance channels; promoting the growth of a public Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system that is responsive to sector, local, regional and national skills priorities; and organisational effectiveness.

The role of the Local Government Sector Education and Training Authority (LGSETA) is to promote and coordinate skills development initiatives and strategic sectoral training interventions, to enhance efficiency and effectiveness of the local government sector through: conducting sectoral skills planning and research; developing and implementing quality learning programmes and relevant occupational qualifications; monitoring and evaluating the performance of training initiatives; communicating and marketing skills development and career advancement opportunities; and approving and disbursing skills development grants.

The Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authority (merSETA) is one of 21 Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) established to promote skills development in terms of the Skills Development Act of 1998 (as amended). The 21 SETAs broadly reflect different sectors of the South African economy. MerSETA encompasses manufacturing, engineering and related services. The various industry sectors are covered by five chambers within the merSETA: metal and engineering; auto-manufacturing; motor retail and component manufacturing; tyre manufacturing; and plastics industries. Together, the five subsectors comprise approximately 44 000 companies, with a workforce of approximately 600 000. The total levy income is approximately R600 million. The merSETA, like all other SETAs, plays a central role in making sure that the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS) is fulfilled. MerSETA does not collect levies but instead receives collected levies from the Department of Higher Education and Training. Seventy percent of the levies is disbursed as grants and 10% is kept for administration. MerSETA does not train, instead it facilitates the process of training by paying grants, registering moderators and assessors, identifying scarce skills, accrediting providers, monitoring the quality of training, and implementing projects to close the skills gap.

The Media, Information and Communication Technologies Sector Education and Training Authority (MICT SETA) is a skills development institution established in terms of the Skills Development Act of 1998, to generate, facilitate and accelerate the processes of quality skills development at all levels in the MICT sector in South Africa. The MICT sector is made up of five subsectors that are interconnected but also quite distinct and identifiable in their own right. These are: advertising, film and electronic media, electronics, information technology and telecommunications. The MICT SETA intends to engage in learning programmes and quality assurance of education and training of implemented learning initiatives, which lead to employment and new venture creation, while at the same time engaging in programmes that assist in bridging the digital divide, especially in rural areas.

The Public Service Sector Education and Training Authority (PSETA) is a statutory body entrusted with driving skills development across the public sector. As mandated by the Skills Development Act and aligned with the National Skills Development Plan (NSDP) 2030, PSETA plays a critical role in shaping a professional, ethical and capable public service workforce. As the designated sector education and training authority, PSETA leads transversal functions across national and provincial departments, legislatures, public entities and government-exclusive institutions. It ensures that skills planning, programme development and quality assurance are strategically aligned with the state's evolving needs. Through its value chain – spanning research and skills planning, programme design, quality assurance, stakeholder partnerships, and performance monitoring – PSETA ensures the public sector is equipped with the right skills to deliver on government priorities. It develops qualifications, accredits providers, certifies learners, and supports critical programmes like learnerships, internships and artisan development. As a trusted authority, PSETA is committed to driving impactful, inclusive and sustainable skills development that strengthens institutional capacity and supports service delivery excellence across the public sector.

The Safety and Security Sector Education and Training Authority (SASSETA) serves the safety and security environment of South Africa with the facilitation of skills development and qualifications. It promotes a culture of ongoing learning, and creates opportunities for skills transfer for all South Africans seeking recognised industry qualifications.

The Services Sector Education and Training Authority (SSETA) is responsible for the disbursement of the training levies payable by all employers. These levies are collected by the South African Revenue Service (SARS) via the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), and are to be disbursed through a management system motivated by skills requirement assessment and monitoring. The SSETA ensures that the skill requirements of the services sector are identified and that adequate and appropriate skills are readily available. The SSETA contributes to the improvement of sector skills through achieving a more favourable balance between demand and supply, and ensuring that education and training: is provided subject to validation and quality assurance; meets agreed standards within a national framework; ensures that new entrants to the labour market are adequately trained; and acknowledges and enhances the skills of the current work force.

The core mission of the Transport Education Training Authority (TETA) is to build a forward-thinking and globally competitive workforce by facilitating skills development programmes that support the outcomes of the NSDP and respond to emerging skills needs of the transport sector. TETA's primary functions are: to develop a sector skills plan (SSP); facilitate the development, registration and implementation of learnerships, skills programmes and strategic initiatives; approve workplace skills plans (WSPs); disburse grants to stakeholders; and conduct quality assurance on education and training that falls within the scope of the sector.

The Wholesale and Retail SETA (W&RSETA) is the skills development authority in the wholesale and retail sector. The W&RSETA has contributed to the skills revolution through innovative and trailblazing programmes and projects for over 24 years, to reaffirm wholesale and retail as a major employer, one of the pillars of the South African economy, and to create self-employment opportunities. The mission of the W&RSETA is to develop a skilled, capable, competent and professional workforce to transform the wholesale and retail sector. Its vision is to be the leader in skills development in the country.

.ZADNA[3] (.za Domain Name Authority) is a not-for-profit company and statutory regulator and manager of .za, the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for South Africa.[4][5] It is an agency of South African government under the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies.[6][7]