Pretoria: Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela has appointed administrators to three Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) following persistent governance failures, which threatened the entities’ ability to deliver on their mandate.

According to South African Government News Agency, the Services SETA, Local Government SETA (LGSETA), and the Construction SETA (CETA) will now be overseen by administrators appointed in terms of Section 15(1) of the Skills Development Act. This decision follows a consultation between the department and the National Skills Authority (NSA).

The intervention addresses entrenched governance failures, including procurement irregularities, lapses in oversight, and board instability, which have undermined the SETAs’ capacity to advance skills development. Manamela emphasized that this decision is the first step in stabilizing SETA governance.

‘We cannot allow governance failures to erode the public’s confidence in the skills development system. These administrators have a clear mandate to restore integrity, enforce consequence management where necessary, and ensure that learners and workers are not prejudiced by institutional weaknesses,’ Manamela stated. He further added that the department’s goal is to reposition SETAs so that they can effectively contribute to the fight against unemployment, poverty, and inequality.

The appointed administrators are Matjie Lehlogonolo Alfred Masoga for the Services SETA, Dithabe Oupa Nkoane for the Construction SETA (CETA), and Zukile Christopher Mvalo for the Local Government SETA (LGSETA). Their mandate includes restoring governance and financial integrity in line with the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), enforcing consequence management where wrongdoing is found, and ensuring that core programmes, such as learner support and employer partnerships, continue without disruption.

The administrators are also tasked with overseeing the proper reconstitution and appointment of new accounting authorities. The Minister expressed his best wishes for the administrators in executing their duties.

Matjie Lehlogonolo Alfred Masoga brings extensive experience in governance, economic development, and strategic management. He has previously served as CEO of the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone and held senior roles at the Limpopo Economic Development Agency and the Limpopo Legislature.

Dithabe Oupa Nkoane has over two decades of experience in public administration, governance, and infrastructure development. His past roles include positions at Emfuleni Municipality, Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, and the Municipal Demarcation Board, making him well-versed in financial recovery and organisational turnaround.

Zukile Christopher Mvalo, currently Deputy Director-General for Skills Development at the Department of Higher Education and Training, has overseen all 22 SETAs, the NSA, and the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) since 2013. His qualifications in law and public administration bolster his expertise in managing the complexities of local government and corporate services.