NSF Connect Signals a New Chapter in the Entity’s Journey to Accountability, Impact and Operational Excellence

The National Skills Fund (NSF) has marked a major milestone in its transformation journey with the unveiling of its new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System during a ministerial media launch themed “Accelerating NSF’s Journey to Operational Excellence.” Held shortly after the successful phase 1 Go-Live on 31 October 2025, the event symbolised the Fund’s shift towards a more accountable, efficient and digitally enabled future.

In his keynote address, Minister of Higher Education and Training, Mr Buti Manamela, described the moment as both historic and symbolic. “Tonight is not merely a celebration. It is a declaration,” he said. “A declaration that we are shifting the gears of the National Skills Fund into a new era, one rooted in accountability, transparency, agility and impact.”

The Minister acknowledged the NSF’s difficult past, noting years of administrative strain, governance challenges and audit pressure. Yet he emphasised the resilience of staff and the organisation’s steady recovery. “The NSF has walked through fire,” he stated, “but even in the face of these challenges, there was always a core of committed professionals who knew that change was possible.”

The launch of the ERP System marks a turning point in this recovery. More than a technical solution, the system represents a fundamental shift from manual processes to an automated, real-time platform capable of strengthening financial controls, improving decision-making and enabling better service delivery. It forms a central pillar of the NSF’s turnaround and its pursuit of clean audits, transparency and operational excellence.

A highlight of the evening was the unveiling of the system’s official name: NSF Connect. The name, submitted by NSF official Ms Ivy Moroko, in a competitive internal naming competition. NSF Connect is a fitting identity for a system designed to unify and modernise how the NSF functions.

Minister, Mr Buti Manamela, ERP Naming Competition Winner, Ms Ivy Moroko and NSF Acting CEO, Ms Melissa Erra

The Minister highlighted that the NSF Connect system and its new identity align tightly with the broader institutional reforms recommended by the Ministerial Task Team (MTT), which are now gaining momentum.

A major focus of the evening was on the NSF’s high-impact national programmes, particularly those aimed at advancing inclusion and economic participation. The Minister highlighted significant progress in the Persons with Disabilities Programme, a R650 million initiative that will benefit 10 211 people through long- and short-term training interventions. The programme enters its implementation phase in January 2026, with 28 Skills Development Providers approved to deliver training across the country. The Minister emphasised the significance of this work, stressing that the initiative is central to building a skills system that serves all South Africans, particularly those historically marginalised.

Building on this commitment to inclusive development, the Minister also provided an update on the Artisan Massification Programme, one of the NSF’s most substantial contributions to national growth. With a total investment of R2.39 billion and more than 10 000 beneficiaries targeted across the initial and expanded phases, the programme is central to strengthening the country’s technical and vocational pipeline. The expansion approved in September requires strict monitoring, milestone-based funding and increased transparency from implementing partners, an approach the Minister described as essential to safeguarding public resources and ensuring measurable impact.

The Minister further reaffirmed ongoing work to strengthen governance, announcing steps towards legislative reform to establish an NSF Board and the creation of an interim Advisory Committee to enhance oversight and agility. He emphasised that public funds will increasingly be managed on a pay-for-performance basis, ensuring accountability at every stage of project delivery.

Throughout his address, the Minister linked the NSF’s progress to a wider national vision. The NSF’s new Portfolio Plan aligns the organisation with the Medium-Term Development Plan 2025–2030, prioritising the Just Energy Transition, digital skills, emerging sectors such as hydrogen and oceans economies, green manufacturing, and the revitalisation of TVET and CET colleges.

The launch of NSF Connect stood as a major symbol of the organisation’s renewed direction. The Minister encouraged officials and partners to embrace this momentum, noting that the NSF is moving into a chapter defined by higher standards, stronger systems and a renewed sense of purpose.

Through strengthened programmes, improved governance and transformative digital tools such as NSF Connect, the entity is accelerating its journey to operational excellence and positioning itself as a modern, accountable and impactful institution ready to deliver meaningful skills development opportunities to South Africans.