Latest news with #SETAs
Eyewitness News
18 hours ago
- Business
- Eyewitness News
Steenhuisen: DA will support Appropriation Bill
CAPE TOWN - Democratic Alliance (DA) leader and agriculture minister, John Steenhuisen, said that his party would support the Appropriation Bill on Wednesday as the National Assembly looks to finally put the national budget to bed. This follows the firing of African National Congress (ANC) MP, Nobuhle Nkabane, as higher education minister on Monday night. The party had previously said it would reject the budget votes of departments presided over by compromised ministers after President Cyril Ramaphosa axed MP, Andrew Whitfield, for travelling to the United States without his permission. ALSO READ: • Report on Appropriation Bill finalised for presentation to National Assembly • Parliament preps for possibility & implications of national budget not being passed Meanwhile, ANC chief whip, Mdumiseni Ntuli, said the timing of Nkabane's firing had nothing to do with appeasing the DA. After five months of unprecedented budget wrangling, the Government of National Unity (GNU) is expected to rally together on Wednesday to get the last piece of budget legislation over the line. Steenhuisen told EWN that it's enough for his party that Nkabane was removed from her job over corruption allegations related to the appointment of boards for the Sectoral Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) for the budget to get his party's backing. He said his party would vote in favour of all budget votes, including that of Human Settlements Minister Thembisile Simelane, whom the party also wants to see axed. On Sunday, ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula said the party was still engaged in crunch talks for the necessary support to approve the national budget. Meanwhile, Ntuli said that the firing of Nkabane is unrelated to the budget impasse with the DA. "It has much to do with whether the president has come to the conclusion whether this minister would be suitable to remain in that responsibility in the interest of that sector, of course the overall interest of the people of South Africa." The GNU is still expected to face opposition to passing the budget from the MK and EFF, both of whom have indicated they will reject it.
SowetanLIVE
7 days ago
- Business
- SowetanLIVE
Keeping up with technology
In a fast-changing world, it is often difficult for the formal education system to keep up with the needs of society. The skills that are sorely needed today are not necessarily the same as those which were required ten or even years ago. Technology is streaking ahead of the rest of society and, if we do not keep up, we run the risk of having, in the near future, an educated but unskilled population. In this edition of Skills Development, our focus is on how we can keep up with technological changes and how we can prepare our youth to face the future with confidence. Among many other issues, we look at how government, through the TVET colleges, universities and SETAs,-is having to reimagine its role, and how the private sector, through some innovative projects, is trying to fill the gaps.
TimesLIVE
13-07-2025
- Business
- TimesLIVE
Keeping up with technology
In a fast-changing world, it is often difficult for the formal education system to keep up with the needs of society. The skills that are sorely needed today are not necessarily the same as those which were required ten or even five years ago. Technology is streaking ahead of the rest of society and, if we do not keep up, we run the risk of having, in the near future, an educated but unskilled population. In this edition of Skills Development, our focus is on how we can keep up with technological changes and how we can prepare our youth to face the future with confidence. Among many other issues, we look at how government, through the TVET colleges, universities and SETAs, is having to reimagine its role, and how the private sector, through some innovative projects, is trying to fill the gaps. We look at how young people are upskilling each other in South African townships, giving life to the old student slogan, Each One, Teach One. We also look at the rise of technology learning and teaching in townships. More and more, skills are being needed in South Africa's green economy and we ask whether enough is being done to prepare young people for the future of climate resilience. We also look at how entrepreneurs are grabbing the opportunities presented by new technologies to impact positively on society. But it is not only about preparing young people for the digital age; it is also about preparing some of them for tried-and-tested artisanal jobs, the kinds that have been around for ages and which will be around for ages, such as plumbing, welding and mechanics.
IOL News
11-07-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Youth of SA call for structural reform and applauds Minister Nkabane's bold leadership
Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane. Image: Facebook Young people of South Africa wish to reaffirm their commitment to the transformation of the post-school education and training sector, and in doing so, acknowledges the crucial and courageous role being played by Minister of Higher Education Nobuhle Nkabane. At a time when the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) stands at a crossroads, it is essential to assess the path forward in the context of its troubled past. Since its inception, DHET has been plagued by deep-rooted institutional dysfunction. From the collapse of governance at multiple Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs), to repeated scandals involving looting and maladministration at National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS). The department has too often failed to live up to its constitutional obligations. Previous administrations allowed entrenched corruption and patronage networks to flourish within NSFAS, National Skills Fund (NSF) and SETAs, undermining their core mandate of education, skills development, innovation and youth empowerment. Not too long ago R5 billion disappeared from the National Skills Fund and no one has been arrested. These are the type of organised criminal syndicates in the department Minister Nobuhle Nkabane is up against. It is against this backdrop that Minister Nkabane, one of the youngest members of the 7th Administration's Cabinet, assumed leadership. Rather than continuing with business as usual, she has dared to confront the very syndicates that have long captured key institutions in the sector. Her efforts to restore accountability, prioritise students, and reorient the sector toward its developmental role have made her a target of fierce resistance from those with vested interests in maintaining the status quo. Minister Nkabane's bold steps - including her nationwide institutional visits to prevent financial exclusion, the historic 46% increase in NSFAS living allowances for TVET students, and the decentralisation of NSFAS operations to improve direct student service - reflect a shift from reactive leadership to proactive transformation. This is supported by the new NSFAS board which has publicly stated that it will fully cooperate with Special Investigations Unit to terminate the corrupt 'R2.5 million' per month, five year lease agreement for NSFAS head office in Cape Town. This coincide with the NSFAS board having stated at the portfolio committee that it is conducting a legal review of the corrupt student accommodation 'solution' providers which bleeds NSFAS R1.3 billion, according to News24. This signals a new error of clean governance and zero tolerance to corruption. These interventions are not only progressive, they are disruptive to the corrupt networks that have treated the department and its entities as a feeding trough. The backlash she is now facing, which includes smear campaigns and political sabotage, must be understood within this context. It is not simply political opposition, but it is a calculated attempt by organised networks within the department and affiliated bodies to protect illicit gains and undermine reform. Her determination to disrupt the capture of NSFAS, NSF and SETAs has placed her in direct confrontation with powerful interests who are now fighting back. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ As the youth of South Africa, we do not offer blind allegiance to any leader. Our support for Minister Nobuhle Nkabane is rooted in evidence, action, and a vision for a post-school education system that serves the youth and the economy of South Africa. Her leadership marks a decisive break from the inertia and complacency that have long defined the DHET. We call on all stakeholders—students, academics, labour, civil society, and government to support the long-overdue reform of the higher education and training system. The resistance Minister Nkabane faces is a symptom of progress. Transformation, by its nature, unsettles those who benefit from dysfunction. We must not allow sabotage, fear, or vested interests to derail this new trajectory. It is time to turn the page on corruption, and recommit the DHET to its core mandate: empowering young South Africans with the knowledge, skills, and opportunities they deserve. Lwazi Ntombela is the vice-president and head of business at the South African Youth Economic Council. Image: Supplied Lwazi Ntombela is the vice president of the South African Youth Economic Council *** The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of Independent Media or IOL. BUSINESS REPORT
IOL News
10-07-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
The impact of NSFAS mismanagement on South African universities
Prof. Linda du Plessis The dysfunction at the heart of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and various Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) has been the topic of many recent media articles. This focus is needed, as it directly affects the academic journey and future of South Africa's most vulnerable students. However, the burden these failures place on the institutions tasked with delivering quality higher education—namely, the public universities—continues to receive little or no acknowledgment. For years, universities have had to carry the brunt of NSFAS mismanagement, often without any meaningful prior consultation or support. While Minister Nkabane and her department continue to promise reforms, universities remain on the receiving end of a crumbling system that is fast becoming unsustainable – not just for students, but for the institutions themselves. The NSFAS was designed to ensure that no student is denied access to higher education due to financial barriers. Yet, despite meticulous planning from universities, every academic year begins with chaos: delayed funding, defunding of students mid-year, and tens of thousands of students left in accommodation limbo. These issues do not affect only the students – they cripple university operations. Universities are not profit-driven institutions but operate as financially accountable public entities. The payment of municipal bills, maintenance of infrastructure, licences for an IT infrastructure to enable digital innovation, and the payment of salaries are but a few of the basic things that are expected of any well-managed institution. South Africa has no shortage of examples showing how years of limited maintenance have left once-functional infrastructure and office spaces unfit for use. When the NSFAS fails to disburse funds on time, what is then expected of a public university? Universities are forced into the untenable position of either blocking registrations or carrying the cost of registration and tuition, effectively becoming creditors in a relationship they never agreed to. When landlords stop accommodating students due to unpaid rent, the backlash is directed at universities. Institutions have had to extend registration deadlines, negotiate short-term payment terms with landlords, and manage rising legitimate student frustration and unrest. They have to manage a crisis not created by them. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading Funding challenges affect the core existence of universities and disrupt teaching and learning. While the public sees burning tyres and angry slogans, what remains hidden is the massive operational toll this takes on institutions. Academic calendars are adjusted repeatedly, and these changes often come with additional cost implications. Although the budget allocation for higher education is increasing, most of the growth is directed towards funding the NSFAS, rather than expanding universities or advancing research and innovation. The situation within the SETAs adds another layer of strain. SETAs are tasked with facilitating skills development, and the potential impact of these bodies is enormous. However, political appointments and poor governance have rendered many of them ineffective. The recent allegations regarding the appointment of politically connected individuals are yet another example of how politics can be prioritised over merit and accountability in the higher-education and training sector. Universities depend on SETA partnerships for work-integrated learning placements, funding of graduate internships and industry collaboration. When SETAs fail, universities are again forced to fill the gap. The notion that universities are 'denying graduates access to the job market' because of student debt reflects a simple interpretation of a complex issue. Public universities would like to see all graduates making a contribution, either as employees or entrepreneurs, in various sectors of the economy. However, the universities cannot continue functioning if they are expected to provide a free service without financial planning, especially when government departments responsible for that funding are in disarray. Public universities are not just service providers, they are national assets tasked with transforming lives, producing research, driving innovation and shaping the future workforce of South Africa. It is therefore important to focus on the impact of funding challenges on institutions and the dysfunction it creates too. Reform will require more than cosmetic changes and promises. It requires a fundamental rethink of how to establish a sustainable financial aid model for students. It requires sound and accountable management. The financial stability, operational effectiveness and reputation of public universities are at stake. Sustaining excellence within a failing system is difficult.' Prof. Linda du Plessis is Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching and Learning at the North-West University (NWU).
