Expanding the mandate of SETA learnerships for employment of persons with disabilities

The South African legislative framework has had an increased focus on transformation in the labour market to ensure equal access to work and employment for all, focusing on “previously disadvantaged groups”. As such, persons with disabilities are specifically included in the legislative framework on skills development, employment, and economic development, which includes initiatives of affirmative action.

This policy brief is addressed to the Department of Employment and Labour and the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs), and calls for an expansion of the SETAs’ mandate under the Skills Development Act (1998b). The call is made to include an exit strategy in the SETA learnerships for persons with disabilities to support them into work and employment. The call is founded on the continued low employment rates for persons with disabilities in South Africa. This brief is from the Driving Disability Inclusive Practice in Policy Processes: A Call for Evidence-Based Advocacy and Action monograph, which is Volume 7 in the Disability Catalyst Africa series.