VerifiedAlmost every learnership advertised in South Africa is paid for by a SETA, a Sector Education and Training Authority. Learners rarely deal with one directly, which is why so many applications go to the wrong place. This page explains where the money comes from, who actually recruits you, and which of the 21 SETAs covers the work you want to do.
Where the money comes from
- Employers pay the skills development levy. Every employer with a payroll above the threshold pays 1% of it to SARS each month.
- SARS passes it on. The money is split between the National Skills Fund and the 21 SETAs, each covering one sector of the economy.
- SETAs give it back as grants. Employers claim a mandatory grant for submitting their training plan, and compete for discretionary grants that pay for learnerships, bursaries and apprenticeships.
- The employer or its training provider recruits learners. That is the advert you answer.
- The SETA registers your learnership agreement and quality assures the qualification, so that the certificate you get at the end is recognised nationally.
This is why you cannot simply apply to a SETA for a learnership. The SETA funds the programme; the employer or the accredited provider chooses the learners. Apply to whoever placed the advert.
The 21 SETAs and what each one covers
| SETA | Sector it funds | Official website |
|---|---|---|
| AgriSETA | Agriculture, farming and agri-processing | Visit |
| BANKSETA | Banking and microfinance | Visit |
| CATHSSETA | Culture, arts, tourism, hospitality and sport | Visit |
| CETA | Construction | Visit |
| CHIETA | Chemical industries | Visit |
| ETDP SETA | Education, training and development | Visit |
| EWSETA | Energy and water | Visit |
| FASSET | Finance, accounting, auditing and tax | Visit |
| FoodBev SETA | Food and beverage manufacturing | Visit |
| FP&M SETA | Fibre processing and manufacturing, including clothing and printing | Visit |
| HWSETA | Health and social development | Visit |
| INSETA | Insurance | Visit |
| LGSETA | Local government and municipalities | Visit |
| merSETA | Manufacturing, engineering and related services, including motor | Visit |
| MICT SETA | Media, information and communication technologies | Visit |
| MQA | Mining and minerals | Visit |
| PSETA | Public service | Visit |
| SASSETA | Safety and security, including policing and legal services | Visit |
| Services SETA | Business services, cleaning, hairdressing, real estate, contact centres | Visit |
| TETA | Transport | Visit |
| W&RSETA | Wholesale and retail | Visit |
Those are the only official SETA websites. Many private job boards use names and web addresses that look like a SETA’s, so check the address before you trust an advert or hand over documents.
What the SETA guarantees you
- A registered agreement. Your learnership agreement is signed by you, the employer and the training provider, and is registered with the SETA under the Skills Development Act.
- A minimum allowance. Schedule 2 of the National Minimum Wage Act sets the least you may be paid, from R455 a week upward, under the February 2026 national minimum wage notice.
- An accredited provider. The provider must be accredited to offer that qualification, and you can ask for its accreditation number.
- A qualification, not a certificate of attendance. At the end you get a qualification registered on the National Qualifications Framework.
| NQF level | Credits earned | At least, a week | About, a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| NQF 1 to 2 | 0 - 120 | R455,00 | R1 971,52 |
| NQF 1 to 2 | 121 - 240 | R909,94 | R3 942,77 |
| NQF 3 | 0 - 120 | R455,00 | R1 971,52 |
| NQF 3 | 121 - 240 | R856,94 | R3 713,12 |
| NQF 3 | 241 - 360 | R1 402,87 | R6 078,64 |
| NQF 4 | 0 - 120 | R455,00 | R1 971,52 |
| NQF 4 | 121 - 240 | R910,04 | R3 943,20 |
| NQF 4 | 241 - 360 | R1 402,87 | R6 078,64 |
| NQF 4 | 361 - 480 | R2 047,41 | R8 871,43 |
| NQF 5 to 8 | 0 - 120 | R455,00 | R1 971,52 |
| NQF 5 to 8 | 121 - 240 | R985,76 | R4 271,30 |
| NQF 5 to 8 | 241 - 360 | R1 474,90 | R6 390,74 |
| NQF 5 to 8 | 361 - 480 | R2 077,79 | R9 003,06 |
| NQF 5 to 8 | 481 - 600 | R2 654,04 | R11 499,96 |
Schedule 2 of the National Minimum Wage Act, as amended by Government Notice R.7083 (Government Gazette 54075 of 3 February 2026) and binding from 1 March 2026. The monthly column is the weekly figure × 4.333, the conversion the same notice uses. Employers may pay more than this, and many do. Read the notice.
Finding the SETA that covers you
- Work backwards from the job, not from the qualification. If you want to work in a bank, that is BANKSETA; in a shop, W&RSETA; in a mine, the MQA.
- If two SETAs seem to fit, the employer’s main business decides. A driver at a food factory falls under FoodBev SETA, not TETA.
- Public service internships fall under PSETA, and municipal ones under LGSETA.
- Education and training work, including early childhood development, falls under ETDP SETA.
Complaints and fraud
If your allowance is unpaid or your training stops, raise it with your employer first, then with the SETA that registered the agreement, quoting your learnership agreement number. Every SETA also runs an independent tip-offs line for fraud, such as ETDP SETA on 0800 204 937. Selling a place on a funded learnership is fraud, and it is worth reporting.
Frequently asked questions
How many SETAs are there in South Africa?
Twenty-one, each covering one sector of the economy and all overseen by the Department of Higher Education and Training.
Can I apply to a SETA for a learnership?
Not usually. SETAs fund programmes; employers and accredited training providers recruit the learners. Apply to whoever placed the advert.
Where does learnership funding come from?
From the skills development levy, which is 1% of payroll paid monthly by employers above the threshold and shared between the SETAs and the National Skills Fund.
Does a SETA pay my stipend?
The SETA funds the programme, but the employer normally pays you. If payment stops, ask your employer first and then the SETA that registered your agreement.