​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​National Skills Fund (NSF)

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Our vision

Funding to skill our nation

Our mission

To provide funding for national skills development towards a capable workforce for an inclusive growth path

Our seven values

The National Skills Fund upholds the following seven values:

1. Passion
2. Integrity
3. Collaborative
4. Accountability
5. Service Excellence
6. Objective
7. Developmental

Strategic outcome-oriented goals

​The strategic goal of the NSF is to provide funds to support projects that are national priorities in the National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS), that advance the Human Resource Development Strategy (HRDS) of South Africa and that support the National Skills Authority in its work.

Legislative and other mandates

Established in terms of the Skills Development Act

The National Skills Fund was established in 1999 in terms of section 27 of the Skills Development Act, 1998 (Act No. 97 of 1998).

​The money in the fund may be used for the primary objectives as defined by the prescripts of the Skills Development Act.

These are:

1. ​To fund projects identified in the national skills development strategy as national priorities (section 28(1) of the Skills Development Act)
2. To fund projects related to the achievement of the purposes of the Skills Development Act as the Director-General determines (section 28(1) of the Skills Development Act) 
3. To administer the Fund within the prescribed limit (section 28(3) of the Skills Development Act). Regulations to prescribe the limit for the administration of the Fund at 10% of revenue has been approved and published in Notice No. R.1030, Government Gazette No. 33740 dated 8 November 2010 
4. To fund any activity undertaken by the Minister to achieve a national standard of good practice in skills development (section 30B. of the Skills Development Act).

NSF's current main revenue sources

1. ​20 percent of the skills development levies as contemplated in the Skills Development Levies Act, 1999 (Act No. 9 of 1999);
2. Interest earned on investments held at the Public Investment Corporation; and 
3. Uncommitted surpluses from the SETAs that are transferred to the NSF in terms of SETA grant regulation 3(12).

The National Skills Fund may also receive revenue from the following sources:

1. ​The skills development levies collected and transferred to the Fund, in terms of the Skills Development Levies Act, 1999 (Act No. 9 of 1999), in respect of those employers or sectors for which there are no SETAs 
2. Money appropriated by Parliament for the Fund
   
3. Donations to the Fund
   
4. Money received from any other source.
   

Retention of accumulated surplus

In terms of section 29(3) of the Skills Development Act, 1998 (Act No. 97 of 1998), the unexpended balance in the Fund at the end of the financial year must be carried forward to the next financial year as a credit to the Fund.

NSF is a Schedule 3A public entity

On 12 October 2012, the Minister of Finance listed the National Skills Fund as a Schedule 3A public entity in terms of the Public Finance Management Act, 1999 (Act No 1. of 1999) (PFMA), retrospectively effective from 1 April 2012 (Notice number 821 in Government Gazette No. 35759). Prior to the listing as a ​public entity, the National Skills Fund operated as a programme under the Skills Development Branch of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET).

​Key legislation applicable to the NSF

The following key pieces of legislation are applicable to the NSF:

1. Skills Development Act, 1998 (Act No. 97 of 1998), as amended;
   
2. Skills Development Levies Act, 1999 (Act No. 9 of 1999), as amended;
   
3. Public Finance Management Act, 1999 (Act No. 1 of 1999), as amended andTreasury Regulations; and
4. Public Service Act, 1994 (Act No. 38 of 1994), as amended.

Organisational Structure

Executive Officer's Office

Executive Officer: Mr M Macikama
Contact:
PA: Ms Dineo Lehula
Telephone 012 943 3111

Executive Officer Bursaries

Deputy Director Bursaries: Ms C Khambako
Telephone 012 943 3125

Strategic projects

Director: Strategic Projects: Mr E Mashabane
Contact:
PA: Ms Nokuthula Mbatha
Telephone 012 943 3242

Skills support programmes

Director Skills Support Programmes: Mr F Strydom
Contact:
PA: Ms Thandeka Maduna
012 943 3130

Provincial operations

Director Provincial Operations: Ms K Hlongwane
Contact:
PA: Ms Ivy Moroko
Telephone 012 943 3213

Finance  and Administration

CFO: Mr. W Minnie
Contact: 
PA: Ms Lehlogonolo Seaga
Telephone 012 943 3218

​Director Finance: Mrs S Theron
Contact:
PA: Ms Bridgette Siwada
​Telephone 012 943 3191​​​​