South Africa

Regional Training Centre – South African Weather Service

The Regional Training Centre (RTC) of the South African Weather Service (SAWS) is committed to delivering high-quality meteorological training and capacity-building initiatives across the African continent. With a strong focus on excellence, the RTC actively seeks to establish and strengthen partnerships with a broad range of stakeholders, including:

Educational and research institutions
The agricultural sector and farming communities
The aviation industry
Government departments and agencies
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
Other national and international meteorological and climate-related bodies

The RTC is supported by a highly experienced pool of meteorological trainers and operational scientists who collaborate to deliver a diverse range of training programs. These initiatives often emphasize satellite meteorology and related disciplines and are designed to meet the evolving needs of the continent.

Training is delivered through a hybrid approach, combining:

Online platforms for broader accessibility and remote learning
In-person sessions conducted at the RTC’s dedicated computer laboratories located at SAWS headquarters in Pretoria, South Africa

Through these efforts, the SAWS RTC continues to contribute significantly to the development of meteorological expertise across Africa, promoting resilience and informed decision-making in the face of weather and climate challenges.

Since the early 1970s, meteorological training has been an integral part of the South African Weather Bureau, with the training of its staff being a key focus of its activities.

Following the establishment of the South African Weather Service (SAWS) on 15 July 2001, the Meteorological Training Institute (MTI) was created with the primary purpose of training Meteorologists and Meteorological Technicians for the organization. As MTI grew in stature within Southern Africa, it gained recognition as a Centre of Excellence (CoE) in satellite training in 2010 and as of May 2011, after recognition by the WMO, the Meteorological Training Institute became a WMO Regional Training Centre (RTC).

The RTC since then has actively contributed to the development of distance learning tools in satellite meteorology through its involvement in the African Satellite Meteorology Education and Training (ASMET) initiative, aimed at advancing meteorological education across the African continent. More information on this initiative can be found at https://asmet.africa/.

As of May 2011, after recognition by the WMO, the Meteorological Training Institute was recognised by the WMO as a WMO Regional Training Centre and the name subsequently changed from the Meteorological Training Institute to the Regional Training Centre (RTC).

In addition to the above, the Regional Training Centre (RTC) is registered with the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). The then Meteorological Training Institute (MTI) of SAWS was accredited to offer the course in 2009. Trainers for this course are staff members of the RTC, all of whom undergo assessor and moderator training. Upon completion, they are registered as assessors and moderators by the relevant Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) to which the South African Weather Service belongs. The Transport Education and Training Authority (TETA), as the designated SETA, regulates the trainers’ qualifications to ensure that only qualified personnel are involved in lecturing.

The RTC has also been actively involved in the Virtual Laboratory since the incorporation of SAWS into the system. This platform serves as a valuable resource for accessing information related to training—particularly in satellite interpretation, which is critical for weather forecasting across Africa.

CoE Contact Information

Mr. Jannie Stander