Parliament, Tuesday, 24 March 2026 – The Portfolio Committee on Tourism today received a briefing by the Culture, Arts, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Sector Education and Training Authority (CATHSSETA) on its training programmes and collaboration with the Department of Tourism and the Tourism Business Council of South Africa.
The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Tourism, Ms Ronalda Nalumango, in welcoming CATHSSETA’s presentation, said: “It is clear from the presentation and matters raised by the committee that CATHSSETA is not doing enough to support the hospitality and the tourism sector.”
The committee recommended that the SETA, in collaboration with the department and the Tourism Business Council, develop a comprehensive skills strategy for the sector that considers current skill needs.
This recommendation has been made to the Minister of Tourism before, and it should therefore replace the current strategy that is in place. CATHSSETA should also ensure that there is complete alignment between the training it provides and workplace placements, the Chairperson said.
Implementation should also be monitored for effectiveness and efficiencies, which should address the mismatch between training provided and industry needs. CATHSSETA said that every five years it conducts a training impact assessment.
The Department of Tourism and CATHSSETA, working with the Department of Higher Education and Training, should also review the curriculums offered at institutions of higher learning, including TVET colleges, to ensure they are aligned with industry needs.
The committee noted that, given the contribution the tourism sector makes to employment and gross domestic product, CATHSSETA should look into increasing its support to tourism-and hospitality-related training programmes. The SETA should also provide demand-led training programmes that guarantee employment after completion. This requires enhanced collaboration with employers and training providers.
The committee also recommended that CATHSSETA leverage technology and offer more technology-based digital skills programmes, including programmes that encourage citizens to open booking platform companies, for example, and develop soft skills, such as financial, operational and business management. In addition, the SETA must work with the Tourism department to provide training programmes in villages, townships and small towns.
One of the committee’s major concerns is that CATHSSETA has no active partnerships with the Department of Tourism and the Tourism Business Council, which raises doubts about alignment of training programmes with industry needs. This is unacceptable, the committee said.
The Department of Tourism is urged to report back to the committee within three months on the collaborations that have been instituted since today’s meeting. However, these should not be confined to the National Tourism Careers Expo, which was discontinued last year. They must be substantive, demand-led training programmes and curriculum reviews that consider current industry needs.
The committee also recommended that CATHSSETA and the department must collaborate on skills training programmes that turn community projects into sustainable businesses. In addition, the department needs to do more to identify those who can receive recognition of prior learning from experience in the sector, especially from village and township experiences.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON TOURISM, MS RONALDA NALUMANGO.
For media inquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the committee’s Media Officer:
Name: Sureshinee Govender (Ms)
Cell: 081 704 1109
Email: sugovender@parliament.gov.za
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