Submission Of Workplace Skills Plans (Wsp) And Annual Training Reports (Atr) Due By 30 June 2013 The main

purpose of Skills Development legislation is to improve the quality of life of employees, increase opportunities for better jobs, promote learnerships and help the unemployed become more skilled. To this end , businesses with a payroll of more than R500 000 per annum are required to pay a skills development levy of 1% of payroll (inclusive of overtime pay, leave pay, bonuses, commission and lump sum payments). The levy is paid to SARS, who in turn pay it over to the relevant Sector Education and Training Authority. Each SETA has a mandate to serve the Sector Industry (Sic codes) under its control, as determined by the Department of Higher Education from time to time. Skills levies are distributed as either mandatory or discretionary grants. A business is eligible to apply for a mandatory grant rebate if it meets the following requirements: Has registered with SARS in terms of section 5 of the Skills Development Act and has paid the levy to SARS in the right way in terms of section 6 of the SDA. Employs 50 or more people and has submitted a workplace skills plan (WSP) and an annual training report (ATR) to the relevant SETA, by 30 June each year. Employs less than 50 employees and has submitted a mandatory grant application on the SME claim form to the relevant SETA by 30 June each year. Previously, mandatory grants paid out approximately 50% of the levy paid to the SETA. However, with effect from the ATR due by 30 June 2013 this will reduce to 20% in terms of the new Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETA) Grant Regulations (Government Notice Number 990 in Government Gazette Number 35940 of 3 December 2012). In terms of these regulations SETAs are now required to allocate 80% of the available discretionary grant funding to PIVOTAL programmes that address critical and scares skills. PIVOTAL programmes refer to professional, vocational, technical and academic programmes that are National Qualification Framework (NQF) registered and quality assured. Some examples may be SETA funded learnerships and apprenticeships, graduate internships, skills programmes and bursaries for academic study. To respond to this need the DCCI held a Skills Development Symposium on 30 May 2013, which focused on Business and the skills challenge. In addition the Services Seta has approached Chambers of Commerce and Industry to form strategic partnerships in order to promote opportunities for work integrated learning and work place experience of students leaving school, FET Colleges, Universities of technology and academic universities. For further information contact the relevant SETA or Diana Boast (boastd@durbanchamber.co.za).