Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority

What Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority does

The Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority (HWSETA) is a South African government statutory body established under the Skills Development Act (1998) and Skills Development Levies Act (1999) as one of 21 Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) under the oversight of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). HWSETA holds exclusive jurisdictional mandate over skills development, education, and training for three interconnected sectors: health, social development, and veterinary services. The organization coordinates national skills priorities, administers levy-based grant funding to employers and learners, accredits training providers (transitioning this function to QCTO since June 2023), develops occupational qualifications with QCTO as Development Quality Partner and Assessment Quality Partner, and produces sector research through its RIME division. Core operational divisions include Skills Development Planning, Education and Training Quality Assurance, Research Information Monitoring and Evaluation, Corporate Services, Finance, and provincial operations.

HWSETA's revenue model is statutory: employers pay a mandatory 1% Skills Development Levy on total payroll to SARS, of which HWSETA retains a structured allocation (49.5% discretionary grants, 20% mandatory grants claimable via Workplace Skills Plan/Actual Training Report submission, 10% administration, 0.5% to QCTO). Employers access mandatory grants by submitting WSP and ATR documents by 30 April annually; discretionary grants flow through Expression of Interest processes covering learnerships, bursaries, skills programmes, internships, and SME funding. The organization does not price services directly; its "customers" are registered employers, learners/individuals seeking skills development, and accredited Skills Development Providers (SDPs), plus government departments as policy counterparties.

The technology footprint consists of web-based portals (Stakeholder Portal, Helpdesk Portal, WSS Submissions Portal, Assessor/Moderator Portal, Provider Accreditation Portal, SDF Registration Portal, HW Careers Portal) supporting self-service interactions for stakeholder management, accreditation, learner registration, and grant administration. Operations span a Johannesburg head office plus 9 provincial offices covering Gauteng, Western Cape, Northern Cape, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu Natal, Free State, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and North West. The organization is governed by a 15-member Board representing employers, labour, professional bodies, people with disabilities, and other role players under the Public Finance Management Act. The 15-member board, led by Board Chairperson Dr Nomsa Mnisi, and executive team led by CEO Simphiwe Dzengwa and CFO Zandile Mafata, oversee an organization of 101–250 employees that reported 2,548 learner completions in the prior year (53% skills-based, 34% work-based, 13% bursaries).

Name

Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority

Legal name

Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority

Website

https://hwseta.org.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

HWSETA is a South African government statutory body, one of 21 Sector Education and Training Authorities, mandated to coordinate skills development across the health, social development, and veterinary sectors. It funds training via a mandatory 1% payroll levy, disburses grants to employers and learners, accredits training providers, and operates 9 provincial offices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Skills Development Authority

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (61151), Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

TVET/Skills & Workforce Education Authorities (EDADAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Awarding Organizations & Credentialing Bodies (Certificates/Diplomas) (EDADAFAC), Qualifications & Credit Framework Authorities (EDADAEAD), Veterans, Military & Employer/Third-Party Billing Benefits (EDALAJAJ)

Keywords

• Skills development authority
• Sector education training
• Workforce training grants
• Health skills development
• Levy administration services

Headquarters

HQ city

Bedfordview

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Skills Development Levy Collection: Employers liable for payment of the Skills Development Levy (SDL) pay 1% of total payroll to SARS. The levy is split as follows: 49.5% for Discretionary Grant Funding, 20% for Mandatory Grant Funding, 10% for administration, 0.5% QCTO. Any unclaimed mandatory grant funding is transferred to discretionary grant funding by 15 August each year.
2. Mandatory Grants: Employers can claim 20% of total levy contribution annually through submission of Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) and Actual Training Report (ATR) due by 30 April each year.
3. Discretionary Grants: Discretionary grants (49.5% of levy contributions plus unclaimed mandatory grants) are awarded through Expression of Interest processes for learnerships, skills programmes, bursaries, work experience grants, pre-apprenticeship grants, early childhood development, SDF training, ad hoc projects, levy exempt, and SME funding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

HWSETA is a South African statutory body that collects Skills Development Levies (1% of payroll) from employers in the health, social development, and veterinary sectors, then redistributes these funds as Mandatory Grants (20%) and Discretionary Grants (49.5%) for learnerships, bursaries, skills programmes, and work experience. It also accredits training providers, develops occupational qualifications with QCTO, and issues learner certifications through its Education and Training Quality Assurance (ETQA) function.

Product overview

HWSETA operates as a government skills development authority offering a portfolio of interconnected services through web-based platforms. The core offerings include the Stakeholder Portal for service access, HW Careers Portal for career guidance, and specialized divisions delivering Skills Development Planning, Research/Monitoring/Evaluation, and Education/Training Quality Assurance. Grant programmes (Mandatory and Discretionary) support employer training, while learner services handle certification, verification, and RPL assessments. The Qualifications Development unit develops occupational certificates through QCTO partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Stakeholder Portal A web-based portal providing access to HWSETA services for employers, skills development providers, and stakeholders, including WSS submissions, assessor/moderator registration, provider accreditation, and Skills Development Facilitator registration.
• HWSETA Helpdesk Portal A support and helpdesk portal for stakeholders to access assistance and manage queries related to HWSETA services in the health, social development, and veterinary sectors.
• HW Careers Portal A dedicated careers portal for the health and welfare sectors providing career guidance, information on over 70 career options, bursary opportunities, learnerships, and internships for learners and individuals.
• Mandatory Grants Annual grant programme allowing employers in the health, social development, and veterinary sectors to claim 20% of their total Skills Development Levy contribution through submission of Workplace Skills Plans (WSP) and Actual Training Reports (ATR) due by 30 April each year.
• Discretionary Grants Grant funding programme (49.5% of levy contributions plus unclaimed mandatory grants) awarded through Expression of Interest (EOI) processes for learnerships, skills programmes, bursaries, work experience grants, pre-apprenticeship grants, early childhood development, SDF training, and SME funding.
• Learner Achievement Services Provides assessments, moderation, verification, certification, and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) services for skills development providers and learners in the health, social development, and veterinary sectors.
• Qualifications Development Acts as Development Quality Partner (DQP) and Assessment Quality Partner (AQP) with QCTO, developing occupational qualifications and administering External Integrated Summative Assessments (EISA) for the health, social development, and veterinary sectors.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,548 learner completions in prior year across skills-based, work-based, and bursary programmes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and moderate.

• Other 20 SETAscoreOthersHWSETA collaborates with all other 20 Sector Education and Training Authorities in South Africa for inter-SETA transfers, sector coordination, and national skills development strategy alignment. Partner SETAs include AGRISETA, BANKSETA, CHIETA, CETA, CATHSSETA, ETDP SETA, EWSETA, FP&M SETA, FASSET, FOODBEV, INSETA, LGSETA, MICT SETA, MQA, MERSETA, SASSETA, PSETA, SERVICES SETA, TETA, and W&RSETA.
• Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDHET is the overseeing government department for all SETAs in South Africa. HWSETA submits Sector Skills Plans and strategic plans to DHET for national planning purposes. DHET administers the Skills Development Act in conjunction with SETAs.
• Department of Social DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey government department for social development sector that falls under HWSETA's jurisdiction. Alignment on skills development priorities and sector needs.
• Department of HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey government department for health sector that falls under HWSETA's jurisdiction. Alignment on health workforce skills development.
• Department of Employment and LabourcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment department overseeing labour market regulations and employment equity. HWSETA coordinates skills development initiatives aligned with employment priorities.
• South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAQA accredits HWSETA as an Education and Training Quality Assurance (ETQA) body to monitor and audit achievements against national standards and qualifications.
• Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerQCTO is the quality council for occupational qualifications. HWSETA's Qualifications Development unit serves as Development Quality Partner (DQP) and Assessment Quality Partner (AQP) for occupational qualifications. As of June 2023, QCTO handles new SDP accreditation applications.
• South African Nursing Council (SANC)coreOthersRegulatory council for nursing profession in South Africa. Professions within HWSETA's health sector jurisdiction.
• Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA)coreOthersRegulatory council for health professionals (other than nursing) in South Africa. Professions within HWSETA's health sector jurisdiction.
• South African Pharmacy Council (SAPC)coreOthersRegulatory council for pharmacy profession. Professions within HWSETA's health sector jurisdiction.
• South African Council for Social Service Professions (SACSSP)coreOthersRegulatory council for social service professions. Professions within HWSETA's social development sector jurisdiction.
• South African Veterinary Council (SAVC)coreOthersRegulatory council for veterinary professions. Professions within HWSETA's veterinary sector jurisdiction.
• Council on Higher Education (CHE)moderateOthersQuality council for higher education. HWSETA coordinates with CHE on qualifications and higher education institutions for skills development.
• National Council for Persons with Physical Disabilities in South Africa (NCPPDSA)moderateOthersAdvocacy body for persons with disabilities. HWSETA promotes employment of disabled persons as part of its mandate.
• Hospital Association of South Africa (HASA)moderateOthersIndustry association for hospitals. Represents employers within HWSETA's health sector jurisdiction.
• South African Medical Association (SAMA)moderateOthersProfessional association for medical doctors. Represents professionals within HWSETA's health sector jurisdiction.
• South African Dental Association (SADA)moderateOthersProfessional association for dental practitioners. Represents professionals within HWSETA's health sector jurisdiction.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Local Government Sector Education and Training Authority (LGSETA): LGSETA is one of the 21 South African SETAs serving the local government sector. It operates the identical 1% Skills Development Levy collection and grant disbursement framework as HWSETA, with its own provincial offices and ETQA functions, making it a directly comparable statutory peer.
• Financial and Accounting Services SETA (FASSET): FASSET is a South African SETA covering the financial and accounting services sector. It shares HWSETA's full statutory operating model: SDL collection via SARS, Mandatory and Discretionary grant administration, ETQA accreditation, board governance under PFMA, and provincial office network.
• Transport Education Training Authority (TETA): TETA is a South African SETA covering the transport sector. It operates the same Skills Development Act statutory framework as HWSETA, with SDL collection via SARS, Mandatory and Discretionary grant administration, ETQA functions, and provincial offices across South Africa.
• Mining Qualifications Authority (MQA): MQA is one of the 21 South African SETAs covering the mining and minerals sector. It operates under the same statutory Skills Development Act framework as HWSETA, including levy collection, Mandatory and Discretionary Grants, ETQA accreditation, and provincial representation, making it a directly comparable peer.
• Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services SETA (merSETA): merSETA is one of the largest South African SETAs covering manufacturing and engineering. It mirrors HWSETA's complete operating model: Skills Development Act mandate, SDL collection via SARS, Mandatory/Discretionary grant split, ETQA function, and provincial offices, and is a frequently cited benchmark for SETA scale and effectiveness.
• Public Service Sector Education and Training Authority (PSETA): PSETA is a South African SETA covering the public service sector. It shares HWSETA's exact statutory structure (Skills Development Act mandate, 1% SDL via SARS, 20% Mandatory and 49.5% Discretionary grant split, PFMA governance, multi-province offices) and serves a comparably social-sector-oriented workforce.
• Education, Training and Development Practices SETA (ETDP SETA): ETDP SETA is one of the 21 South African Sector Education and Training Authorities and the closest peer to HWSETA: same statutory mandate under the Skills Development Act, same 1% SDL collection mechanism via SARS, same Mandatory/Discretionary grant architecture, and same provincial footprint. Its scope covers the education, training, and development practitioner sector rather than health and welfare.
• Insurance Sector Education and Training Authority (INSETA): INSETA is a South African SETA covering the insurance sector. It uses the identical Skills Development Act framework, levy-grant administration model, and ETQA quality assurance structure as HWSETA, making it a directly comparable statutory peer for skills funding operations.
• Agriculture Sector Education and Training Authority (AGRISETA): AGRISETA is a South African SETA covering the agriculture sector. It operates under the same Skills Development Act framework as HWSETA, with mandatory levy collection, Mandatory and Discretionary Grants, ETQA accreditation, and a multi-province office network, making it a structurally identical peer.
• Safety and Security Sector Education and Training Authority (SASSETA): SASSETA is a South African SETA mandated under the same Skills Development Act, with the same levy-grant-distribution operating model and same national footprint as HWSETA. It covers the safety and security sector, making it a directly comparable statutory peer with overlapping stakeholder structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HWSETA_SA
• Facebookfacebook.com/HWSETA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hwseta

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles23 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority