The manufacturing sector is set to get a huge boost, after the manufacturing and engineering-related services sector education and training authority (Merseta) said it has earmarked R700m for new training programmes.

Raymond Patel, chief executive of Merseta, had placed a moratorium on new training following his appointment in October 2006, after discovering irregularities in the way grants and training contracts were awarded.

The new cash injection should help to train more than 5,000 young apprentices and artisans with a further 4,000 benefiting from Merseta-sponsored programmes in the coming year.

Merseta is planning to spend a total of just over R1bn between now and 2010, with the majority to be spent “on scarce and critical skills," said Patel.