The MQA Standards Setting Unit is responsible for administering the functions of the Mining and Minerals Sector Standards Generating Body (M & M SGB). The SGB is a stakeholder driven body with members from the following 6 primary stakeholders;

• The State;
• Labour;
• Employers;
• Providers of Education and Training;
• Suppliers of equipment & Services; and
• Mining Professional Associations.

The Mining and Minerals Standards Generating Body (M&M SGB) is governed by the Mines Health and Safety Act of 1996 and the Skills Development Act of 2000. Its main function is to design outcomes-based qualifications and write associated unit standards for registration on the National Qualifications Framework, or to ensure that the appropriate qualifications are in place for the Mining and Minerals Sector through collaborative initiatives with other SGB and/or SETA's.

In order to fulfill its function, the M&M SGB has identified 31 distinct areas in which it formulated Working Groups to facilitate the generation of unit standards and the design of qualifications. Stakeholders from Employers, State, Labour, Providers, Manufacturers and Professional Bodies have nominated persons with technical expertise in these areas to serve on the working groups.

The working groups, called Technical Reference Groups (TRGs) identify qualifications that are required by the Sector and then detail the competencies that are applicable to these qualifications. The qualification is then designed and populated by the associated unit standards.

These qualifications and unit standards then undergo rigorous ratification through the SGB’s validation process after which it is submitted to SAQA for registration on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF).

Once qualifications are registered, the TRG’s develop appropriate learnerships associated with these qualifications for submission to the Learnerships Unit of the MQA. Registered unit standards are packaged into appropriate skills programmes for registration on the MQA Database where required.

Learning material developed for the associated registered unit standards are co-ordinated by the Learnerships Unit and ratified for technical content by the TRGs.

To search for qualifications on the SAQA searchable database - http://www.saqa.co.za/ Choose Qualifications and Unit Standards. This should take you to a choice of 4 searchable database.

To search for Standards & procedures for engineering levels 5 – 8 qualifications(ECSA website) - http://www.ecsa.co.za/, Choose Standards and Procedures, You are then prompted to select from 5 areas.