The General Industries Workers Union of South Africa (GIWUSA) has strongly condemned what it calls the latest attempt by the ANC and its affiliates to take control of Sectoral Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) through the appointment of political allies and proxies, as exposed in recent investigations.
GIWUSA President Mametlwe Sebei described the situation as “an escalation of the industrial-scale plunder and looting of SETAs, which has been systematically gutting these critical institutions for years.” He referred to earlier reports of mismanagement under South African Communist Party leader Blade Nzimande, particularly during disputes with the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (NEHAWU), which represents many SETA employees.
“Many SETAs were on the verge of collapse, putting the jobs of NEHAWU-affiliated staff who exposed the wrongdoing at risk. The consequences were severe,” said Sebei. He further argued that this “deliberate paralysis of SETAs has rendered them ineffective for millions of workers in urgent need of skills development, vocational training, and access to quality post-school education.”
Sebei emphasised that SETAs—funded through workers’ skills levies, often deducted from already low wages—have endured years of looting and mismanagement, depriving workers of critical training and support. “The dire effects of this ongoing looting are visible everywhere,” he added.
In addition to GIWUSA’s criticism, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has formally raised objections to recent SETA board appointments in a letter addressed to Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training. The DA flagged concerns over the inclusion of individuals linked to the ANC, including Buyambo Mantashe, the son of Minister Gwede Mantashe, and former KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube.
The DA warned that such appointments could further politicise SETAs, institutions tasked with managing key skills development programmes like learnerships and internships—placing their integrity and effectiveness at risk.
VOC News
Photo: Pixabay
