Corporate training Guides Paying for staff training: levies and reimbursement
Skills Development Levy, SETA grants and B-BBEE: funding staff training in South Africa
South African employers pay a Skills Development Levy and can recover part of it through SETA grants. Training spend can also count on your B-BBEE scorecard. Here is how the system works, and what to check before you buy.
The Skills Development Levy
Employers whose annual payroll exceeds R500,000 pay a Skills Development Levy of 1 per cent of payroll through SARS. Most of it goes to the Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) for your industry, and part funds the National Skills Fund.
SETA mandatory and discretionary grants
Employers that submit a Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) and Annual Training Report (ATR) to their SETA on time, usually by 30 April, can receive a mandatory grant of 20 per cent of the levy they paid. Your WSP and ATR record the training you plan and the training you delivered, including short courses.
Discretionary grants are separate. SETAs award them for priority programmes, often accredited or occupational ones, under their own criteria.
B-BBEE skills development
Skills development spend is an element of the B-BBEE scorecard. Different categories of training are recognised under the Codes in different ways, and limits apply to some of them. Ask your verification agency how a specific programme will be recognised before you count on the points.
Where Paleon Training fits
Paleon Training issues its own certificate of completion. Our programmes are not accredited qualifications and do not carry credits on any national qualifications framework. Our programmes are practical workplace training. You can include them in your WSP and ATR, and your verification agency can advise how the spend is recognised for B-BBEE.
We deliver AI and cybersecurity training live online with a facilitator for organisations across South Africa.
Related training programmes
- CyberSecure Workforce: Programme details
- AI Workflow Productivity & Process Transformation: Programme details
Frequently asked questions
Is your training SETA-accredited?
Paleon Training issues its own certificate of completion. Our programmes are not accredited qualifications and do not carry credits on any national qualifications framework.
Can we put the training in our Workplace Skills Plan?
Yes. The WSP and ATR record the training you plan and deliver, including short courses. Grant eligibility follows your SETA's rules.
Will the training earn B-BBEE points?
It depends on how the Codes recognise the programme and on your scorecard. Your B-BBEE verification agency can confirm.
Is this guide official guidance?
No. It is a general overview. Check with SARS, your SETA and your verification agency for your organisation.
Published 09/11/2026 by Paleon Training Limited. General guidance, not legal advice.
Talk to us about training your teams
Paleon Training runs corporate AI and cybersecurity training for organisations in South Africa. Start with the free readiness check, or book a consultation and we will recommend a format for your organisation.