The Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Mr Buti Manamela, has called on parliamentarians to familiarise themselves with the report on the performance of the 21 Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) compiled by the National Skills Authority, which tracks what the SETAs have been doing over time.
Mr Manamela encouraged members not to rely on the media for their information about the work the SETAs are doing on vocational skills. “There had been a huge return on investments in terms of the resources that are put into the SETAS. They will be playing an important role for the next five years in programmes that had been identified. For example, SETAs will be doing a lot of work around Just Energy Transition,” he said.
Deputy Minister Manamela was part of the departmental team that briefed the Select Committee on Education, Sciences and the Creative Industries on the Department of Higher Education’s strategic plan and the annual performance plan. The Minister of Higher Education, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane, led the delegation.
Members had questions on a range of issues, including students who double dipped by accepting financial support from the SETAs when they are already supported by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS). Other matters included the US’s donor funding cuts, the proliferation of foreign nationals and study and work opportunities.
The committee Chairperson, Mr Makhi Feni, said a report from the Auditor-General in 2024 laid bare a double-dipping habit among beneficiaries of NSFAS and SETA funding. “Are there any measures that had been put in place to block this practice, as it will affect the broader funding objectives of these entities?” Mr Feni asked. He also wanted to know if NSFAS funded students are able to find employment once they graduated.
Minister Nkabane clarified that matters relating to the US grant funding cuts have been elevated to the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, who is actively engaging with China to see if it could help close the funding gap. In addition, a report on the extent of the impact of the funding cut has been compiled and will be shared with the committee. DHET programmes are affected, along with those of the departments of Health and of Science and Technology. “The grant funding requires a sector-wide engagement,” Minister Nkabane said.
Mr Feni urged the ministry to ensure that no programme is discontinued, particularly community-based programmes.
Sibongile Maputi
24 June 2025
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