MQA’s Mining Skills Lekgotla: Celebrating 30 years of shaping future mining talent

The Mining Qualifications Authority (MQA) will host the 2025-2026 Mining Skills Lekgotla on 26–27 February 2026 in Johannesburg under the theme: “30 Years of Skills Development Excellence – Mining Future Skills for Empowerment – Together.”

This high-impact, two-day consultative event will bring together key stakeholders across the mining and minerals sector, offering a unique opportunity to collectively shape the future of skills development in the industry.

The Mining Skills Lekgotla was first conceptualised during the 2022/2023 financial year as a strategic platform to enable structured engagement between the MQA and its stakeholders on the advancement of skills development in the sector.

The inaugural Lekgotla, successfully hosted in November 2023, attracted more than 1 000 delegates. As a result, the MQA has committed to convening the Lekgotla every alternate year as part of its strategic stakeholder engagement programme.

Aligned with the National Skills Development Plan (NSDP) 2020-2030, the Mining Skills Lekgotla provides a formal platform for the MQA to account to stakeholders on its performance, engage on sector priorities, and facilitate dialogue on challenges and opportunities affecting skills development in the mining and minerals sector.

The 2026 Lekgotla is particularly significant, as it will commemorate 30 years of the MQA’s contribution to skills development excellence, while reinforcing its mandate to support transformation, sustainability, and inclusive growth in the sector. The 2025–2026 Mining Skills Lekgotla will be integrated with the Mining and Minerals Sector Recognition Awards and a career exhibition, creating a comprehensive forum for engagement, reflection, and recognition.

A Two-Day Programme Designed for Impact

The Lekgotla’s two-day programme is structured to maximise participation and outcomes:

• Day One: Plenary session, keynote addresses, panel discussions on contemporary and future-focused issues, career guidance exhibitions, and the Mining and Minerals Sector Recognition Awards gala dinner.

• Day Two: Feedback from panel discussions, continued engagement on identified priorities, and continuation of the career exhibition.

A key objective of the Lekgotla is to celebrate and commemorate the 30-year milestone of the MQA, while promoting the work of the skills development sector and highlighting the central role played by the MQA in the implementation of the NSDP 2030. The event will also formally introduce newly appointed MQA Chairperson Dr Nomusa Zethu Qunta, along with newly appointed Board and Committee Members serving during the NSDP 2025–2030 term.

Among the expected outcomes are enhanced stakeholder engagement, deeper understanding of automation and digitisation in mining, and agreement on entrepreneurial programmes that support job creation for mine communities and youth.

The Lekgotla will also guide reskilling and upskilling plans aligned to future world-of-work demands, strengthening the MQA’s responsiveness to clearly defined stakeholder training needs. Both employees and unemployed youth will gain access to relevant, practical skills essential for the evolving sector.

A dedicated career exhibition, targeting high school learners from disadvantaged communities, will run concurrently with the event, benefiting learners over the two days. Interactive sessions, mentorship opportunities, and guidance will help learners make informed decisions about future careers in mining.