Page 28 - Annual Report A4

ADDITIONAL FUNDING

MERSETA ON BOARD TO SUPPORT

GRC ACTIVITIES

he Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector Education and
Training Authority (merSETA) is one of 21 Sector Education and Training

TAuthorities (SETAs) established to promote skills development in terms of the

Skills Development Act of 1998 (as amended). The 21 SETAs broadly reflect different
sectors of the South African economy. MerSETA encompasses manufacturing, engineer-

ing and related services.The various industry sectors are covered by five chambers with-

in the merSETA: metal and engineering; auto-manufacturing; motor retail and component
manufacturing; tyre manufacturing; and plastics industries. Together, the five subsectors

comprise approximately 44 000 companies, with a workforce of approximately 600 000.
The total levy income is approximately R600 million annually. merSETA, like all other

SETAs, plays a central role in making sure that the National Skills Development Strategy
(NSDS) is fulfilled. MerSETA does not collect levies but instead receives collected levies

from the Department of Higher Education and Training. Seventy percent of the levies are
disbursed as grants and 10% kept for administration. MerSETA does not train; instead,

it facilitates the process of training by paying grants, registering moderators and asses-
sors, identifying scarce skills, accrediting providers, monitoring the quality of training, and

implementing projects to close the skills gap.

18 RESEARCH CHAIR IN MANUFACTURING AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT