The Wholesale and Retail Sector Education and Training Authority (W&RSETA) is an acknowledged leader in terms of the SETAs that currently operate in South Africa. They have had considerable success implementing the National Skills Development Strategy and have proudly embraced their role to foster the development of relevant skills within the rather vast wholesale and retail sector and its numerous sub-sectors.
In November 2009, the Government announced that SETAs would not be recertified in March 2010 as originally planned, but that the entire SETA landscape would be redefined. While the W&RSETA will remain intact when the new landscape comes into play in March 2011, it will have the motor and petrol retail sub-sectors transferred to it from the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services SETA, MerSETA.
Like all the original SETAs in South Africa, the W&RSETA was established in terms of the Skills Development Act of 1998, and became operative in March 2000.
Those in this vital industry recognised the need to set up a board to run the SETA and after consulting with employers and employees, and advertising in national newspapers, duly set up its board comprising six employee representatives, and six employer representatives.
Unlike the transport sector’s education and training authority, TETA, which was structured from various industry training boards that were already operating within the realm of education and training, and ensuring learners and employees had the correct skills for the job, the W&RSETA had to evolve its own model from scratch.
The W&RSETA outsourced this function and a detailed business plan was drawn up to outline the model. This was ratified by the then Minister of Labour. A Finance Committee, and Governance and Representative Committee were then established specifically to ensure compliance with the Skills Development Act and equally important Skills Development Levies Act.
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Cognizant of the needs to meet the demands of the W&R sector, the SETA also set up working committees comprising employer and employee representatives to deal with all the core areas within the sector.
Every year since 2000, the W&RSETA has submitted an updated Sector Skills Plan to the Department of Labour for approval.
In May 2001 the W&RSETA ETQA (education and training qualifications authority) was accredited by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) to facilitate their role of ensuring quality learning provision within the wholesale and retail sector.
This, of course involves ensuring that relevant accredited college courses are available for both learners starting out, and those wanting to further themselves in the sector. For this reason the SETA might accredit a short course alongside a management course or even online courses to ensure that all needs are catered for.
The SETA is also responsible for ensuring that those in training have access to discretionary grants, bursaries, internships and apprenticeships. They also need to assist make the workplace experience a knowledgeable and meaningful one.
Learnerships are work-based education and training programmes that are linked to qualifications that are registered with the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). These learnerships consist of both theory and practical workplace experience.
Learnerships provide learners with easy access to learning as well as better employment opportunities. Some learners are able to earn while they learn – for example in apprenticeships – and at the same time acquire a formal qualification.
Learnerships give employers a better opportunity to access skilled and experienced workers who need less supervision. This in turn improves productivity and the quality of work delivered.
Learnerships for the industry as a whole, aim to make the W&R sector more competitive in the global market.
While the W&RSETA facilitates the recruitment and implementation of learnerships, the SETA is quick to remind employers, service providers and training providers that it is their responsibility to recruit learners.
Nevertheless, from the start, the W&RSETA has partnered with the Department of Labour as well as the South African Graduates Association (SAGA) and the Centre for Youth Development (CYD) in an endeavour to give unemployed people and those sincerely looking for opportunities jobs and training. These are people who are recruited and given the opportunity of workplace experience, apprenticeships and so on.
Telephone: 0860 270 027 / (012) 676-9000 – Fax: (012) 665-2559Email: wrseta@wrseta.org.za – Website: http://www.wrseta.org.za
Until the motor and retail sub-sectors transfer to the W&RSETA, they fall under the MerSETA which is based in central Johannesburg, Gauteng.
Telephone: (011) 544-1316 – Fax: (011) 484-8620 – Email: info@merseta.org.zaWebsite: http://www.merseta.org.zawww.lessons.co.za
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The valid Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Codes must be used for Employment Tax Incentive (ETI) purposes. The latest SIC Coding system can be found Here or at Statistic SA www.statssa.gov.za. The Code for w&rseta is 27.
SIC CODE | ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION |
---|---|
61000 | Wholesale and commission trade, except of motor vehicles and motor cycles |
61100 | Wholesale trade on a fee or contract basis. |
61220 | Wholesale trade in food, beverages and tobacco. |
61310 | Wholesale trade in textiles, clothing and footwear |
61391 | Wholesale trade in household furniture requisites and appliances. |
61392 | Wholesale trade in books and stationery. |
61393 | Wholesale trade in precious stones, jewellery and silverware |
61394 | Wholesale trade in pharmaceuticals, toiletries and medical equipment. |
61420 | Wholesale trade in metal and metal ores. |
61430 | Wholesale trade in construction materials, hardware, plumbing and heating equipment. |
61501 | Office machinery and equipment including computers. |
61509 | Other machinery |
61510 | Sale of new parts and accessories excluding the retail sale of new motor vehicle parts and accessories. |
61901 | General wholesale trade. |
61909 | Other wholesale trade n.e.c. |
62000 | Retail, trade, except of motor vehicles and motor cycles; repair of personal and household goods |
62110 | Retail trade in non -specialised stores with food, beverages and tobacco predominating. |
62190 | Other retail trade in non -specialised stores. |
62201 | Retail trade in fresh fruit and vegetables. |
39905 | Power coating |
41210 | Manufacture of industrial gases in compressed, liquified or solid forms |
61410 | Wholesale trade in solid, liquid or gaseous fuels and related products |
62202 | Retail trade in meat and meat products. |
62203 | Retail trade in bakery products. |
62204 | Retail trade in beverages (bottle stores). |
62209 | Other retail trade in food, beverages and tobacco n.e.c |
62311 | Retail of non -prescribed medicines and pharmaceutical products other than by pharmacists. |
62321 | Retail trade in men’s and boys’ clothing |
62322 | Retail trade in ladies’ and girls’ clothing. |
62323 | Retail trade by general outfitters and by dealers in piece goods, textiles, leather and travel accessories |
62324 | Retail trade in shoes |
62330 | Retail trade in household furniture appliances, articles and equipment. |
62340 | Retail trade in hardware, paints and glass. |
62391 | Retail trade in reading matter and stationery. |
62392 | Retail trade in jewellery, watches and clocks |
62393 | Retail trade in sports goods and entertainment requisites |
62399 | Retail trade by other specialised stores. |
62400 | Retail trade in second -hand goods in stores. |
63122 | Retail sale of used motor vehicles |
63310 | Sale of new parts and accessories |
63311 | Sale of tyres. |
63500 | Retail sale of automotive fuel. |
65000 | Selling and retail of new plastic bags and plastic products. |
65001 | Selling of garage equipment. |
65002 | Retail of baby clothing |
65003 | Selling of wooden doors |
65004 | Retailing of beauty products |
65005 | Sale of marine equipment and everything to do with boats. |
65006 | Retail of packing material. |