SASSETA's 2025/26 plan: R725m budget, 1,470 unemployed learnerships and R351m in skills grants

SASSETA budgets total revenue of R725.6 million for 2025/26, including R496 million in skills development levies and R152.5 million in government department contributions, according to its Annual Performance Plan tabled for the year.

Discretionary grant expenditure of R351.2 million is allocated to pivotal skills programmes, with mandatory grants of R95.2 million.

2025/26 targets include 1,470 unemployed learners entering learnerships (898 completing), 641 employed learners entering learnerships, 1,040 employed learners on skills programmes, and 220 bursary agreements for unemployed youth. Workplace targets include 800 graduates and interns entering workplace-based learning, 603 TVET placements, 400 artisan entries and 350 trade test completions.

Several programmes require at least 54% women beneficiaries, and discretionary grant recipients training unemployed youth on learnerships must place 30% of trained youth into employment.

SASSETA achieved a clean audit in 2023/24 - its fourth in a row - and cites Stats SA data putting private security at more than R50 billion a year. The Alarms, Security or Surveillance Monitor occupation is a top-10 priority, with 2,562 required via learnerships and skills programmes including CCTV and control room operator courses.

The plan also discloses High Court litigation over security training qualifications, including a case in which the court granted interim reinstatement of three pre-2009 security qualifications.

Source: SASSETA Annual Performance Plan 2025/2026 (via PMG) - static.pmg.org.za