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Courses for public speaking teach your people to plan, structure and deliver a clear, confident talk, from boardroom updates and sales pitches to conference keynotes and town-hall briefings. BOTI’s Public Speaking Training is a 2-day instructor-led course that runs in-house at your premises, at BOTI’s venue in Sunningdale, Johannesburg, or live online. It sits alongside our other communication and business writing courses.
Courses on this topic at BOTI today
- Public Speaking Training (2 days)
- Professional Presentations Course (2 days)
- Presenting with Impact: Confident Online and Boardroom Presentations (3-hour online masterclass)
At your offices anywhere in South Africa, live online or at a BOTI venue.
See all Communication and Business Writing coursesGet a quote for your teamLearning on your own? Self-paced e-learning from R595 (excl. VAT) · Ask your employer to pay
You may be an HR, L&D or business leader watching a capable manager freeze in front of the room. Or you may have a sales team that knows the product but cannot hold an audience. Either way, this training closes the gap. We work with all levels, from nervous first-timers to senior executives. The focus is practical: turn nervous energy into steady confidence, then back it with a repeatable method for building and delivering any talk.
Not sure where to start? Ask BOTI to help you identify your team’s biggest communication gaps: where presentation, confidence and structure are holding people back, and what to train first.
Who this public speaking training is for
This is built for corporate buyers upskilling their people, as well as professionals investing in themselves:
- Managers and team leaders: they present updates, lead meetings and brief stakeholders, and need to do it with authority.
- Sales and business-development teams: they depend on the pitch and need to handle questions on the spot.
- Executives and senior specialists: they speak at conferences, AGMs, town halls and to the media, where the stakes are high.
- Technical and subject-matter experts: they are strong on the detail but need to make it land with a non-technical audience.
- Individuals: anyone who wants to overcome stage fright and present with credibility.
Whatever the level, the outcome is the same: clearer structure, calmer nerves and more persuasive delivery.
What your team will learn: the 12-component course outline
The programme is delivered in twelve practical components, moving from preparation through to confident delivery and evaluation. Each builds on the last, so participants leave with a complete, repeatable set of public speaking skills rather than a one-off pep talk.
| # | Component | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Starting Out | Ice-breakers, setting objectives, what “good” looks like for each participant |
| 2 | Identifying Your Audience | Needs analysis and audience profiling so the message fits the room |
| 3 | Making a Basic Outline | The SCAR framework (Situation, Challenge, Action, Results) to structure any talk quickly |
| 4 | Organising the Programme | Sequencing and pacing so ideas flow logically |
| 5 | Fleshing It Out | Using sources, building credibility and citing evidence correctly |
| 6 | Putting It All Together | Writing and editing the speech into a tight, deliverable script |
| 7 | Being Prepared | Venue checks, equipment and pre-presentation checklists |
| 8 | Overcoming Nervousness | Mental and physical techniques to manage stage fright and build genuine confidence |
| 9–10 | Delivering Your Speech | Voice, visual aids, body language and adjusting on the fly when the room shifts |
| 11 | Queries & Answers | Handling questions, pushback and the unexpected with composure |
| 12 | Concluding | Consolidating key learnings, plus evaluation and feedback |
The SCAR structure (component 3) is the tool many participants take back to work immediately. It turns a blank page into a clear, persuasive outline in minutes.
Beating stage fright: the part that changes everything
Most people do not lack ideas; they lack the confidence to deliver them. Component 8 is dedicated to overcoming nervousness. It uses practical mental and physical techniques to manage the physical signs of anxiety, such as the racing heart, the dry mouth and the rushed pace, and to channel that adrenaline into presence and energy. Combined with the structured preparation in components 1 to 7, this means participants stop “winging it” and walk in prepared, which is where real confidence comes from.
It matters for the business, too. A manager who can hold a room runs tighter meetings and wins stakeholder buy-in more easily. A sales rep who pitches with composure handles objections more calmly. Because the workshop is interactive, every participant presents, gets live coaching and feedback, and leaves having practised in front of an audience, not just heard about it.
Format, duration and certification
We keep the logistics simple and flexible so the training fits your operation:
| Detail | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Format | Instructor-led and interactive: practice, feedback and live coaching, not slides only |
| Delivery | In-house at your premises, at BOTI’s venue in Sunningdale, Johannesburg, or live online |
| Duration | Public Speaking Training: 2 days. A shorter online option, Presenting with Impact, runs as a 3-hour live online masterclass |
| Locations | Your premises, BOTI’s Sunningdale venue, or remote for dispersed teams |
| Levels | All levels, from first-time presenters to senior executives |
| Certification | A practical, facilitator-led skills programme; delegates receive a BOTI certificate of attendance |
This is a focused, practical intervention for real-world upskilling without a long commitment. If you are looking for an online presentation skills course, the Presenting with Impact: Confident Online and Boardroom Presentations masterclass covers online and boardroom presenting in three hours. Teams who mainly present reports and proposals can take the Professional Presentations Course. Need accredited training? See BOTI’s accredited programmes in related areas such as management and business administration.
Why BOTI
BOTI (Business Optimization Training Institute) is a South African corporate training provider and a QCTO-accredited Skills Development Provider, with Services SETA accreditation 12582 for legacy qualifications. It has a catalogue of 450 courses and a client base that includes Sasol, Glencore and the City of Johannesburg.
We tailor content to your industry, your audience and your real-world speaking scenarios, so the pitch delegates practise is the pitch they will actually give. Group sizes, scheduling and case studies are built around your team, whether that is three new managers or a full sales floor.
Funding and skills development
Public speaking and presentation training is legitimate skills-development spend. Many employers pay the Skills Development Levy (SDL), which is 1% of the leviable amount, broadly total payroll[1]. If yours does, structured training can feed into your skills-development planning and reporting.
On the generic B-BBEE scorecard, the overall skills development target is 6% of the leviable amount. That is 3.5% on learning programmes for black people plus 2.5% on bursaries for black students at higher education institutions[2]. Sector codes may differ. How any training counts on your scorecard depends on your verification. (This is general guidance, not financial or legal advice. Confirm specifics with your B-BBEE practitioner.)
Explore the full communication training cluster
This page is the hub for BOTI’s public speaking, presentation and voice training. Depending on your team’s exact need, these focused guides and programmes go deeper:
- Presentation Skills Training for the Workplace: for teams who present internally, covering structure, slides and delivery for everyday meetings and reports.
- Voice & Confidence Training for Professionals: targeted coaching on vocal projection, tone, pace and presence for high-stakes speakers. See also the 1-day Voice and Speech Training for Business.
- Public Speaking Courses in Johannesburg, Cape Town & Durban: scheduling options for in-person and in-house training.
Ready to book or scope a programme? See our public speaking course and booking options to get started.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the public speaking course?
BOTI’s Public Speaking Training runs over 2 days of instructor-led practice. If your team needs a shorter online option, the Presenting with Impact masterclass is a 3-hour live online session on online and boardroom presentations. Tell us your group’s size and experience level and we will recommend the right fit.
Is there an online presentation skills course?
Yes. The 2-day Public Speaking Training and the Professional Presentations Course can both run live online, and the 3-hour Presenting with Impact masterclass is designed for online and boardroom presenting. Online groups still present, get feedback and practise handling questions.
Is the public speaking course accredited?
No. It is a practical, facilitator-led skills programme, and delegates receive a BOTI certificate of attendance. If you need an accredited route, ask BOTI about its accredited programmes in related areas such as management and business administration.
Can you run public speaking training in-house for our team?
Yes. BOTI delivers the course in-house at your premises, at its venue in Sunningdale, Johannesburg, or live online. Content and practice scenarios are tailored to your audience, from first-time presenters and sales teams refining a pitch to executives preparing for conferences, AGMs and the media.
Will public speaking training help someone with serious stage fright?
Yes. A full component is dedicated to overcoming nervousness, using practical mental and physical techniques. We work with all levels, including people who currently avoid presenting, and build confidence through structured preparation and supported practice.
Request a quote
Tell us who needs training and what they need to master, whether that is pitches, presentations, conference talks or everyday meetings. We will scope a programme that fits your team and your timeline, and we can help you work out where your team’s communication gaps are before you book.
Book Public Speaking Training for your team, or request a quote. Call BOTI on 011 882 8853 or email [email protected]. Training runs in-house at your premises, at BOTI’s venue in Sunningdale, Johannesburg, or live online. This course is not accredited. It is delivered as a professional skills programme, and delegates receive a BOTI certificate of attendance.
Sources
- Skills Development Levy – South African Revenue Service (SARS), 2026.
- Codes of Good Practice on B-BBEE: Code Series 300, Statement 300 – Skills Development (Government Gazette 42496) – Department of Trade and Industry, 31 May 2019.