DHET Issues Final Transition Directive for Legacy Qualifications (South Africa, June 2026)
The Department of Higher Education and Training published a gazetted directive setting final transition rules for selected legacy qualifications, trades and regulatory unit standards. The directive fixes extension ranges, assigns reporting and oversight duties, and keeps existing learner achievements recognised.
The Department of Higher Education and Training published a gazetted directive setting final transition rules for selected legacy qualifications, trades and regulatory unit standards. The directive fixes extension ranges, assigns reporting and oversight duties, and keeps existing learner achievements recognised.
What Changed?
The system moved from open-ended transition management to final, defined teach-out and extension periods for selected expired legacy qualifications. Extensions are limited to 6 to 24 months for listed pre-2009 qualifications, up to 36 months for listed regulatory unit standards, and up to 12 months for trades without registered occupational replacements; NATED programmes remain under separate teach-out circulars.
Old System vs New System
After the 2024 transition directive, many expired pre-2009 qualifications still required case-by-case handling, and providers, learners, SETAs and employers needed confirmed final enrolment and achievement dates.
Government Gazette No. 54858 makes the final transition rules active. SAQA manages the published dates and list, SETAs report quarterly through SAQA to the Minister, QCTO oversees accreditation, assessment readiness and quality assurance, and stakeholders must comply with the last dates.
Who Is Affected?
Student Impact
Learners already in affected programmes receive a defined path to finish within the approved period, while new enrolment must follow the published last-enrolment dates.
Parent / Family Impact
Families supporting affected learners can check the SAQA list and provider notices before paying for legacy programmes.
School / Institution Impact
Skills Development Providers, TVET-linked programmes and SETAs must align enrolment, teach-out, reporting and replacement occupational qualification planning with the gazetted dates.
Teacher / Staff Impact
No school-teacher-specific change was identified; lecturers, trainers and assessors in affected occupational programmes may need to update delivery and assessment plans.
Key Dates
- 2026-06-12: directive signed
- 2026-06-17: Government Gazette No. 54858 published and transition rules took effect.
What To Do
- Providers and learners should check the SAQA list for each affected qualification
- confirm last enrolment and achievement dates
- update learner communication
- and shift new enrolments to registered occupational qualifications where available.
What To Watch Next
Watch for SAQA list updates, SETA quarterly reports, new occupational qualification registrations and provider accreditation changes.
Global Context
The change matters for employers, training providers and comparison researchers tracking how South Africa is replacing legacy vocational qualifications with occupational qualifications.
Source Record
Source type: Official gazette
Source name: Department of Higher Education and Training, Government Gazette No. 54858