In January 2011, Minister Nzimnade launched the National Skills Development Strategy III (NSDSIII). According to the document:

The third National Skills Development Strategy (NSDS III) follows the integration of higher and further education and skills development into a single Department of Higher Education and Training. Partnerships between employers, public education institutions (FET colleges, universities, universities of technology), private training providers and SETAs will be promoted so that the integration of education and training becomes a reality experienced by all South Africans. Priority will be given to strengthening the relationship between public colleges and universities and the SETAs, as well as with employers.

NSDS III must ensure increased access to training and skills development opportunities and achieve the fundamental transformation of inequities linked to class, race, gender, age and disability in our society. We must also address the challenges - of skills shortages and mismatches - we face as a country and improve productivity in the economy.

Other governing documents include the FET Colleges Act 2006, which states its purpose as to:

A - enable students to acquire:

(i) the necessary knowledge;

(ii) practical skills; and

(iii) applied vocational and occupational competence; and

B - provide students with the necessary attributes required for:

(i) employment;

(ii) entry to a particular vocation, occupation or trade; or

(iii) entry into a higher education institution.

(2) This Act applies to all education institutions which have been established or declared a public college or registered as a private college in terms of this Act.

There is also a National Plan for Further Education and Training (FET) Colleges. This sets out an implementation framework for the vision for South African FET Colleges offering vocational qualifications at Levels 2 – 5 on the NQF, as set out in White Paper 4: A Programme for the Transformation of Further Education and Training. These colleges comprise the 50 public FET colleges, as well as private colleges that are registered with the Department of Education as private FET colleges.