Pivotal means of ‘vital or critical importance’; but is also used as an acronym meaning professional, vocational, technical, and academic learning programmes resulting in occupational qualifications on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), more especially for scarce and critical skills.
Seta (plural -tae) in biology are a bristle-like appendages, stalks, hair or bristles, used as sensory organs (e.g. spiders), for locomotion (e.g. earthworms), or adhesion to vertical surfaces (e.g. feet of geckos); but also used as an acronym meaning Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA). List of Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs).
Discretionary grants are exactly what is states, funds allocated at sole discretion, not a given, and there are several ‘hoops to jump through to try and implement them’ say SDF Corp. Group (n.d.). The aim of discretionary grants is to encourage stakeholders to contribute towards Skills Development, focussing on scarce and critical skills producing projects within a sector or industry, such as:
- Learnerships
- Work integrated learning (WIL)
- Internships
- Bursaries
- Skills programmes
The discretion rests with the SETA accounting authority concerned, and dependent on the funds available. The relevant SETA’s discretionary grants policy, guidelines, and specific criteria apply. Extensive skills planning and skills audits are undertaken; and participating organisations or businesses are required to ensure that all skills programmes are linked to the industry’s scarce and critical skills. All Skills Development Levy payments must be up-to-date; annual workplace skills plan (WSP) including PIVOTAL and non-PIVOTAL, and previous annual training report (ATR) must be submitted on time; and application must be made by means of the prescribed SETA Discretionary Grant application form during the window of opportunity. After SETA approval, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) will be entered, stipulating the amount of the grant given as well as the terms and conditions of such a grant.
The maxim on the South African Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) webpage reads: ‘Together, Turning Every Workplace into a Training Space”. The Skills Development branch of DHET is concerned with the implementation of both the Skills Development Act and the Skills Development Levy Act. The Skills Levy income—collected in terms of sections 7 (1) and 8 (2) (a) read with 8 (3) (b) of the Skills Development Levies Act—is distributed in accordance to the National Skills Development Strategy to respective Sectoral Education and Training Authorities (SETAs).
The Government Notice, published 3 December 2012 by the Minister of Higher Education and Training—G35940, RG9867, GoN990—contains the new regulations pertaining to mandatory grants payable to levy paying employers, versus the allocation of discretionary PIVOTAL grants. SETAs form an integral part of the framework to develop and improve the skills of the South African workforce. Each SETA produces a sector skills plan. These contribute to the national skills plan, which among others include identified scarce skills.
Each employer with an annual payroll exceeding R500 000 is obliged to contribute 1% of payroll to the skills development fund. Employers are also required to register with the relevant SETA. Each employer is required to annually submit, by a specified date, a workplace skills plan (WSP) with regard to developing the skills of its employees. Each employer is furthermore required to annually submit, by a specified date, an annual training report (ATR). If these are approved by the relevant SETA, then it must allocate the mandatory grant to such a levy paying employer.
SDF Corp. Group is Skills Development Facilitation Corporation Group
Skills Development Facilitation Corporation. (n.d.). Discretionary grants – what are they, and how do I apply? Electronically accessible from; https://sdfcorp.co.za/discretionary-grants-what-are-they-and-how-do-i-apply/
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