Covid Informal Settlement Residents Protest for Basic Services, Block N2

The legal context for this issue is rooted in South Africa's skills development and administrative law frameworks. The Red Seal certificate is a national qualification issued by the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO), which operates under the oversight of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). This framework is established by legislation such as the Skills Development Act, 1998, and the National Qualifications Framework Act, 2008, which govern the accreditation of training providers, assessment bodies, and the issuance of national qualifications. The prolonged delays could potentially invoke principles of administrative justice enshrined in the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act (PAJA), 2000, which requires administrative action to be lawful, reasonable, and procedurally fair, including timely decision-making. Artisans might also consider remedies under labour law or even constitutional challenges based on the right to choose their trade, occupation or profession freely (Section 22 of the Constitution) or the right to dignity (Section 10).