SHE Rep Training in Mthatha: Who Your Business Must Appoint, and What It Costs
Who must be appointed as a health and safety representative in Mthatha, how many your headcount requires, and what the one day SHE Rep course costs.
Published · RSTL Centre
The Eastern Cape Department of Public Works and Infrastructure issued quotation ORT5-25/26-0017 for the training of 34 employees on health and safety (SHE Rep) in the O.R. Tambo District over three days. Public sector buyers were already booking a SHE Rep course in Mthatha, and private employers in the district carry exactly the same duty.
A SHE Rep course in Mthatha at RSTL Centre costs R600 a delegate for a one day class. That published price matters, because the closest national alternatives are several times higher once you read their rate cards.
What follows is the law on who must be appointed, how many representatives a workplace actually needs, and what the course costs against the prices competitors publish.
Who must appoint a health and safety representative
Any employer with more than 20 employees must designate health and safety representatives, and the designation has to be in writing. That duty begins within four months of the business starting, or of the headcount passing 20. Only full-time employees who know the workplace's conditions and activities can be appointed.
The writing requirement is where many small employers slip. A verbal understanding is not a designation. The employer should keep a signed appointment for each representative, and the representative should hold a copy for the safety file.
It is worth naming the duties correctly, because they get mixed up. Employees' own duties sit in section 14 of the Act, while section 13 covers the duty to inform. A representative's functions are separate from both, and the appointment letter should reflect the role the person is being given.
How many representatives a workplace needs
The ratio depends on the type of workplace, not just on headcount. The required minimum is one representative per 100 employees or part thereof in shops and offices, and one representative per 50 employees or part thereof in all other workplaces.
That difference is large in practice. A distribution warehouse with 120 staff needs three representatives, because 120 falls into the third group of 50. A retail store with 120 staff needs two, because 120 falls into the second group of 100.
The table below shows the minimum for common headcounts. It sets out the floor, so an employer with a higher risk profile can appoint more, but cannot appoint fewer.
| Employees | Shop or office (1 per 100) | Other workplaces (1 per 50) |
|---|---|---|
| 20 or fewer | None required | None required |
| 21 to 50 | 1 | 1 |
| 51 to 100 | 1 | 2 |
| 101 to 150 | 2 | 3 |
| 151 to 200 | 2 | 4 |
| 201 to 250 | 3 | 5 |
What the Act requires once a representative is appointed
Section 18(3) places a duty on the employer to provide the facilities, assistance and training a representative may reasonably require. Training is therefore not a favour the employer is granting, and the employer cannot reasonably refuse it where the representative needs it to do the job.
Representatives carry out their duties during ordinary working hours, and that time counts as work time. Attending the SHE Rep course is covered by the same principle, so an employer cannot expect a representative to train on their own time or on unpaid leave.
Once a workplace has two or more representatives, section 19 makes a health and safety committee mandatory, and that committee must meet at least once every three months. For most Mthatha employers with more than 20 staff, that means the first appointment quickly leads to a recurring meeting and a written record of it.
Which SHE Rep course to book and who should attend
The one day SHE Rep course is built around the representative's functions under the Act: inspecting the workplace, identifying hazards, investigating incidents, and taking part in the committee. It suits anyone about to be designated, and anyone already in the role who has never been formally trained.
Delegates should be full-time employees who know the workplace, because that is who the Act allows to be designated. Sending a contractor or a part-time staff member to the course tends to create a representative who cannot lawfully hold the appointment.
RSTL Centre runs the class from Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 16:30, at the Mthatha branch or on site for a group. Larger employers often add the OHS Act course for the people who support the representatives, and pair the appointment with risk assessment training.
What SHE Rep training costs in Mthatha
RSTL Centre charges R600 for the one day SHE Rep course. Published prices seen in search results on 10 September 2026 showed the same course at R2,950 from NOSA, R800 from Funda Institute, and R1,800 from one Facebook trainer. Those are advertised rates, and they differ for reasons that are not always visible.
Price on its own does not settle the decision. The certificate has to be worth something when a client, a main contractor or a municipality asks for it, so it is worth checking what the provider's course covers and whether the accreditation is stated on the course page.
A directory's own estimate at the time put the average for safety training in Mthatha at about R3,250, within a range of R1,500 to R5,000. That figure is the directory's estimate rather than a surveyed average, but it does suggest local buyers are used to paying well above R600 for a day of safety training.
Frequently asked questions
When must a Mthatha employer appoint a SHE Rep?
The trigger is more than 20 employees. The appointment must be made in writing within four months of starting the business or of the headcount passing 20. Employers who fall under 20 employees are not required to appoint representatives, though many still do.
How many health and safety representatives do I need?
At least one per 100 employees or part thereof in shops and offices, and at least one per 50 employees or part thereof in all other workplaces. A 60 person factory needs two representatives, while a 60 person office needs one.
Can I appoint someone who works part time?
No. Only full-time employees who know the workplace's conditions and activities can be designated as representatives. That rule is why the person who knows the floor is usually a better choice than a manager who is rarely on site.
Is the training done in work time?
Yes. Representatives carry out their duties during ordinary working hours, and that time counts as work time. Section 18(3) also obliges the employer to provide the training a representative may reasonably require to do the job.
How much does the SHE Rep course cost?
RSTL Centre charges R600 for the one day SHE Rep course. For comparison, published prices seen in search results on 10 September 2026 showed the course at R2,950 from NOSA, R800 from Funda Institute, and R1,800 from one Facebook trainer.
Do we need a safety committee as well?
Once two or more representatives are appointed, a health and safety committee is mandatory under section 19, and it must meet at least once every three months. Most workplaces with more than 20 employees will pass that threshold quickly.
Can the SHE Rep course be run at our premises?
Yes. RSTL Centre delivers the course at its Mthatha branch at 1st Floor, Old Mutual Building, Cnr York Road and Leeds Road, on site, or online where the course allows. On site training keeps a full group together and suits shift work.
Book SHE Rep training in Mthatha
Email the branch through the contact page to book the one day SHE Rep course at R600 a delegate, and note your headcount so the team can advise how many seats you need. Full details of the course are on the SHE Rep page, and the course list covers the OHS Act, risk assessment and committee courses that usually follow.
The Mthatha branch is on 078 045 2852 if you would rather speak to someone about a group booking.