Welcome to W&RSETA

The Wholesale and Retail Sector Education and Training Authority (W&RSETA) was established in 2000 in terms of the Skills Development Act (as amended). The public entity aims to facilitate the skills development needs of the Wholesale and Retail (W&R) Sector through the implementation of learning programmes, disbursement of grants and monitoring of education and training as outlined in the National Skills Development Plan (NSDP).

SETAs are entities of the Department of Higher Education and Training. There are 21 SETAs; each servicing a specific economic sector of the Country.

 

STAKEHOLDER UPDATE – OCCUPATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS REVIEW STATUS

W&RSETA stakeholders are informed about the status of the review of occupational qualifications for the W&R Sector.

Click here for the update.

NEW BOARD APPOINTED FOR THE W&RSETA

The W&RSETA is pleased to announce its new Board as appointed by the Minister of Higher Education and Training to serve the Wholesale and Retail Sector for a five-year term commencing 30 September 2025.

Click here for the notice

APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2026 RETAIL MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME ARE OPEN

The W&RSETA has opened applications from nominated middle managers, supervisors and team leaders for the 2026 Retail Management Development Programme (RMDP). The programme equips middle managers with skills for operational excellence and prepares them for the next level of management. The 2026 will be offered as NQF level 6 and 7 qualifications.

Applications close on 10 November 2025.

Click here for the advert  

NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OPEN - 2026 INTERNATIONAL LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (ILDP)

The W&RSETA is pleased to announce the opening of nominations for the 2026 ILDP.  Nominations from W&RSETA registered companies for this high impact executive development programme will be open until 10 November 2025.

Click here for the advert with application links and programme overview

2025 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The W&RSETA invites its constituent business and labour organisations; and stakeholder companies, institutions of learning and skills development partners to the 2025 Annual General Meeting.

15 October 2025 | Running Waters Venue, Qheberha | Virtual

Click here for the invitation

W&RSETA QUARTERLY WHOLESAY NEWSLETTER – Q1 EDITION

The W&RSETA’s first edition of the WholeSay newsletter is now available!

This edition provides a comprehensive overview of key activities, strategic initiatives, and milestones achieved during the first quarter. We invite you to explore the highlights and gain valuable insights into our ongoing efforts to advance skills development within the Wholesale and Retail Sector.

Click here for the newsletter

W&RSETA SECTOR-WIDE SURVEY: AI INTEGRATION IN THE WHOLESALE AND RETAIL SECTOR

Stakeholders in the Wholesale and Retail Sector are invited to participate in a national survey focused on the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in South Africa’s Wholesale and Retail Sector. This initiative is part of our ongoing Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (PDRF) projects, aimed at shaping responsive and forward-looking skills development strategies in the age of digital transformation.

Your input is essential in helping us align our AI initiatives with stakeholder needs and expectations. The survey responses will be treated as confidential.

Click here to complete the questionnaire

MODERN MIS/LMS USER INTERFACE AND UNIVERSAL CONTRACT IS NOW LIVE

The W&RSETA stakeholders are informed that the Management System (LMS) User Interface, along with the           Universal Contract, has gone live on 23 June 2025. This marks a significant milestone in our digital transformation journey aimed at improving stakeholder experience, streamlining administrative processes, and enhancing the efficiency and accessibility of our systems and services.

For any related enquiries, please contact your respective provincial office and/or log a query on Stakeholder Query Management system/portal

Click here for the user guide and user interface video

 

STAKEHOLDER NOTICE - PAYMENT DELAYS FOR MANDATORY GRANTS

W&RSETA stakeholders are informed of technical challenges on the Skills Development Levy System of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). The resultant impact of this issue is that the W&RSETA is unable to process payments for Mandatory Grants due to employer files not provided from August 2024 to date.

Payments will be made once the issue has been resolved by  DHET.

We apologise for the inconvenience of this technical challenge on our stakeholders.

Click here for the notice.