The Deputy Minister of Public Works, Mr Jeremy Cronin, will on 29 July 2016 pay a visit to the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) projects in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape to conduct an assessment on the projects that are currently implemented to contribute to community development and also provide socio-economic benefits to the employed EPWP participants.
Media is invited to attend and cover the event as follows:
Date: Friday, 29 July 2016
Time: 9h30
Venue: Sophakama Early Childhood Development Centre in Joe Slovo Township in Port Elizabeth.
Deputy Minister Cronin will also visit the Masizakhe Community Development Project and the Linathemba Support Group in Kwazakhele as well as the EPWP Metro-wide Schools Ambassadors Programme.
About the event
Deputy Minister Cronin’s visit to EPWP projects in Port Elizabeth come as a follow up to the projects that he launched in the city in December 2015.These projects are implemented through the EPWP Non State Sector which is one of the four EPWP sectors that are implemented nationally. The Deputy Minister will have an opportunity to interact with the EPWP participants to get a sense of how the projects are making an impact in their lives.
Projects to be visited are implemented by two Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs):
- Sophakama Community Based Development Care and Support Organisation (Sophakama “we will rise”). This NPO provide School Support Programme, Early Childhood Development and Home Based Care to communities in Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality
- Masizakhe Community Development Project: It is a community based organisation, dedicated to the promotion of Biblical values, values of Ubuntu and provide care and support to orphans and vulnerable children. The NPO also provide programme such as School support programme, Community Garden, Care for the elderly.
The NPOs are contracted for 11 month through the Independent Development Trust (IDT) to work with various communities to deliver assets and create EPWP work opportunities. The NPOs have created 330 work opportunities in Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality since December 2015.
The EPWP is a government initiative aimed at alleviating poverty and unemployment through the provision of short term to medium term work opportunities thereby providing income to the poor and unemployed South Africans. It is comprised of the Infrastructure, Non State, Environment & Culture as well as Social Sectors.
Enquiries:
Kgomotso Mathuloe
Cell: 082 957 3667
Michael Mokoena
Cell: 082 906 5795
