Johannesburg: AfricUpdate – News Desk
Higher Education and Training Deputy Minister Buti Manamela has announced the full constitution and appointment of Accounting Authorities (AAs) for all Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs), effective from 30 September 2025. The appointments mark a key milestone in stabilising governance across the skills development sector and ensuring continuity in the execution of SETA mandates.
As their first order of business, all Accounting Authorities have already initiated processes to:
•Recommend and appoint interim Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) to ensure that there is no leadership vacuum following the expiry of CEO contracts at the end of September 2025.
•Commence the recruitment and selection process for permanent CEOs, in line with the provisions of the Skills Development Act and the SETA Standard Constitution.
Manamela said the department is also fast-tracking the process of appointment of chairpersons for the new Accounting Authorities, with announcements expected in due course.
“The new governance cycle for SETAs provides an opportunity to strengthen accountability, improve performance, and align skills development more closely with the national priorities of job creation, industrialisation, the just energy transition, and inclusive economic growth,” Manamela said in a statement on Tuesday. The Minister wished the new appointees success carrying out their responsibilities, assuring them of the department’s full support in delivering on the skills development mandate.
He added that the newly appointed Accounting Authorities reflect a balanced demographic and professional profile, with gender balance, strong representation of youth and participation from historically disadvantaged groups. “Members also bring expertise spanning organised labour, business, community development, professional bodies, government, and higher education institutions. This ensures that the SETAs’ governance structures are not only inclusive but also grounded in the technical and sectoral knowledge required to advance South Africa’s skills revolution,” Manamela said.
