OLUMS SETA Roundtable 2026: Reimagining SETA Grant Management Through Transparency
The OLUMS SETA Roundtable marked the official opening of our 2026 engagements, setting a deliberate tone for collaboration, innovation, and practical reform within South Africa’s skills development ecosystem. More than a gathering, the Roundtable was a strategic engagement designed to bring together key stakeholders shaping the future of SETA grant management and institutional delivery.
Hosted in partnership with Amazon Web Services, the session created a high-value platform for sector leaders, governance specialists, digital transformation drivers and SETA stakeholders to engage meaningfully on the evolving landscape.
Hosted in partnership with Amazon Web Services, the session created a high-value platform for sector leaders, governance specialists, digital transformation drivers and SETA stakeholders to engage meaningfully on the evolving landscape.
A Platform for Real Conversations
The Roundtable unpacked critical themes currently shaping the sector, including:
● The transition toward more structured and accountable WIL frameworks
● Evolving compliance requirements within the SETA and QCTO landscape
● Persistent challenges in grant management and funding utilisation
● Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) processes and reporting gaps
● The role of digital platforms in enabling transparency, efficiency and scalability
What emerged clearly is that while policy and frameworks continue to evolve, execution remains the greatest challenge particularly in the coordination, tracking and reporting of WIL and funded programmes.
● The transition toward more structured and accountable WIL frameworks
● Evolving compliance requirements within the SETA and QCTO landscape
● Persistent challenges in grant management and funding utilisation
● Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) processes and reporting gaps
● The role of digital platforms in enabling transparency, efficiency and scalability
What emerged clearly is that while policy and frameworks continue to evolve, execution remains the greatest challenge particularly in the coordination, tracking and reporting of WIL and funded programmes.
Enabling a Digitally Driven Future
A key highlight of the engagement was the emphasis on digital transformation as an enabler of systemic change. As our Chief Technology Director, Dawn Moodley, shared: “True transformation in skills development will not come from policy alone, but from our ability to digitise and integrate systems that enable real-time tracking, transparency, and measurable learner outcomes. At OLUMS, we believe that partnering with government and training providers through technology is key to building a responsive, accountable and future-ready skills ecosystem.”
This perspective reinforced OLUMS’ commitment to bridging the gap between compliance requirements and operational delivery through intelligent, data-driven platforms.
This perspective reinforced OLUMS’ commitment to bridging the gap between compliance requirements and operational delivery through intelligent, data-driven platforms.
Voices Driving the Conversation
The Roundtable was enriched by contributions from industry leaders and partners actively shaping the sector:
● Max Makgoale, Senior Account Manager: Education Sector at AWS, highlighted the importance of secure and scalable infrastructure in enabling digital transformation. As OLUMS’ infrastructure partner, AWS plays a critical role in ensuring data sovereignty, security and system resilience. “As the education and skills sector continues to digitise, the ability to manage data securely and at scale becomes non-negotiable. Platforms like OLUMS are enabling this shift by combining infrastructure with purpose-built solutions for the sector.”
● Alicia Logan from Proudly South African spoke on Driving Localisation in Skills Development and Education, reinforcing the importance of supporting locally developed solutions that understand and address South Africa’s unique challenges. OLUMS’ recent membership with Proudly South African further affirms this commitment.
● Shanita Roopnarain, CEO of the Swiss South African Cooperation Initiative, shared insights on Driving Transparency, Skills Development and Employment through SETA Grant Management. Drawing from prior experience engaging with OLUMS, she highlighted the importance of closing operational gaps in grant administration and ensuring accountability across the value chain.
● Max Makgoale, Senior Account Manager: Education Sector at AWS, highlighted the importance of secure and scalable infrastructure in enabling digital transformation. As OLUMS’ infrastructure partner, AWS plays a critical role in ensuring data sovereignty, security and system resilience. “As the education and skills sector continues to digitise, the ability to manage data securely and at scale becomes non-negotiable. Platforms like OLUMS are enabling this shift by combining infrastructure with purpose-built solutions for the sector.”
● Alicia Logan from Proudly South African spoke on Driving Localisation in Skills Development and Education, reinforcing the importance of supporting locally developed solutions that understand and address South Africa’s unique challenges. OLUMS’ recent membership with Proudly South African further affirms this commitment.
● Shanita Roopnarain, CEO of the Swiss South African Cooperation Initiative, shared insights on Driving Transparency, Skills Development and Employment through SETA Grant Management. Drawing from prior experience engaging with OLUMS, she highlighted the importance of closing operational gaps in grant administration and ensuring accountability across the value chain.
Key Insights & Learnings
Several important insights emerged from the Roundtable discussions:
● WIL is no longer supplementary, it is central to both compliance and learner success
● Grant management inefficiencies remain a systemic risk, impacting both funding utilisation and programme outcomes
● Digitalisation is not optional. It is essential for scalability, audit-readiness, and transparency
● Collaboration between public and private sector stakeholders is critical to drive meaningful reform
● Data-driven decision-making will define the next phase of skills development in South Africa
● WIL is no longer supplementary, it is central to both compliance and learner success
● Grant management inefficiencies remain a systemic risk, impacting both funding utilisation and programme outcomes
● Digitalisation is not optional. It is essential for scalability, audit-readiness, and transparency
● Collaboration between public and private sector stakeholders is critical to drive meaningful reform
● Data-driven decision-making will define the next phase of skills development in South Africa
Looking Ahead
The OLUMS SETA Roundtable is not a once-off engagement, but the beginning of an ongoing dialogue.Building on the success of this session, OLUMS will be expanding the Roundtable series into a broader national roadshow, engaging stakeholders across multiple provinces, cities, and sector entities. The objective is clear: to continue fostering collaboration, sharing practical insights and co-creating solutions that strengthen the skills development ecosystem.
Acknowledgements
We extend our sincere appreciation to all stakeholders who contributed to the success of this engagement, including: Quality Council for Trades and Occupations, Services SETA, Department of Higher Education and Training, Department of Employment and Labour, Construction Education and Training Authority, FoodBev Manufacturing SETA, Public Service Sector Education and Training Authority,Proudly South African, and Shuttleworth Academy & Consulting.