<P> The Skills Development Act 97 of 1998 is a law enacted in South Africa in 1998 . </P> <P> This Act was promulgated by government in 1998, in the midst of high levels of unemployment, low levels of investment in the South African labour market, pronounced disparities in income distribution, inequality of opportunity as a result of apartheid and poverty . (Brendan and Down, 2000). Through this Act, the government aimed to address two main priorities, i.e. the need to improve skills and increase productivity in order to compete successfully in the global economy, and the need to reverse apartheid imbalances and to create a more inclusive and cohesive society (Mpilo Mthethwa, 2014). </P> <P> IMPLEMENTATION & AMENDMENTS - Update 2016 </P> <Ul> <Li> Signed in: ACT NO . 97 - 20 October 1998 (Date of commencement of s . 1: 2 February, 1999) </Li> <Li> Skills Development Amendment Act 31 of 2003 (with effect from 14 November 2003) </Li> <Li> Skills Development Amendment Act 37 of 2008 (with effect from 6 April 2009) </Li> <Li> Skills Development Amendment Published 3 December 2012 - Came into effect 1 April 2013 </Li> <Li>--- BUSA (Business Unity South Africa) won Labour Court's judgment on Friday 21st of August 2015 declared both regulations to be invalid ‚ and it set them aside with effect from March 31 2016 . </Li> <Li>--- The Court declared Regulations 3 (11) and 4 (4) of the 2012 Grant Regulations to be invalid, and it set them aside . However, it suspended the effect of that order until 31 March 2016 . </Li> <Li>--- The Minister of DHET appealed against this that was not pursued, and on 15 April 2016 it has lapsed with an effective of 1 April 2016 . (Cancelling the previous amendment of 2012) </Li> </Ul>

Who does the skills development act apply to