The ETQA unit is responsible for, among others:

• Ensuring continuous quality improvement of education and training through the accreditation, monitoring, auditing and moderation of work-based, public and private providers;
• Registering assessors and moderators;
• Undertaking capacity-building interventions for accredited providers to meet the LGSETA, NSDS and NQF objectives;
• Maintaining a learner management system compatible with the National Learner Record Database (NLRD), which is administered by SAQA
• Certification of learner achievements.
• Develop Occupational Qualifications

• Strengthening quality assurance through review, research and development of appropriate and relevant quality assurance policies and processes;
• Ensuring that all accredited providers are delivering the quality of provisioning for which they are accredited, through a comprehensive accreditation, monitoring and auditing process
• Identifying and facilitating the generation of qualifications and unit standards in the ETD sector, and submit to SAQA for registration on the NQF;
• Accrediting constituent education and training providers for specific standards or qualifications registered on the NQF;
• Evaluating learning programmes;
• Assuring the quality of learner achievements;
• Improving the quality and relevance of education and training in the sector;
• Establishing and maintaining a database by recording learner achievement;
• Registering constituent assessors;
• Support Provider Development.

Accreditation is the certification, usually for a certain period of time of a body or an institution, as having the capacity to fulfill a particular function within the quality assurance system set up by SAQA in terms of the SAQA Act, 1995. SAQA accredits all Education and Training Quality Assurance bodies (ETQAs) who, in turn, accredit Education and Training Providers. There are a number of advantages to becoming an accredited provider, including that the overall quality of education and training provision in South African is raised and maintained at a consistently high level. This means that the clients who use the services of that Education and Training Provider can be sure that the Provider complies with the required standards for learning and assessment services. It also means that all learners can be assured of a quality learning experience and that the credits and qualifications they achieve through the education and training service will be nationally and internationally recognised.In addition, only accredited Education and Training Providers are able to deliver education and training that leads to nationally registered unit standards and qualifications. Accreditation therefore provides Education and Training Providers with a valuable tool with which they can market their services to potential clients.

Providers who qualify for accreditation with LGSETA include those Providers who primarily offer programmes based on the qualifications and/or unit standards in the primary focus of LGSETA.

• Local Economic Development
• Public Finance Management and Administration
• Ward Committee Governance
• Leadership Development
• Fire and Rescue Operations
• Environmental Practice
• Local Government

Providers that are accredited by another ETQA but wish to offer education, training and development standards and qualifications belonging to LGSETA will be required to apply to have their programmes evaluated by the ETQA for accreditation purposes.The LGSETA has been re-accredited until 31 March 2030. LGSETA only accepts online applications for accreditation, programme approval, extension of scope, accreditation of skills programme or unit standards. Visit our online portal. https://www.lgsetaonline.org.za

LGSETA only accepts online applications for assessors / Moderator registration:

• Re-registration of assessors and moderators where registration has lapsed
• New applications for assessors and moderators affiliated with a LGSETA accredited provider
• New applications for assessors and moderators affiliated with new training provider accreditation applications. https://www.lgsetaonline.org.za

The skills development system is transitioning from historically registered Unit Standard-based qualifications to new Occupational Qualifications that are in accordance with the requirements of the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO). In this transition, historically registered qualifications will be realigned into occupational qualifications or, if applicable, new occupational qualifications will be developed to replace Unit Standards-based qualifications. The majority of the traditionally registered qualifications in the local government sector will expire in 2023, creating pressure on the LGSETA to ensure they are realigned before their expiration. We have made steady progress in this regard, and here are the occupational qualifications already registered: