Business Trust Long Run, Greytown, KwaZulu-Natal
1 August 2007
Programme Director
MEC for Public Works, Ms Johnson
MEC for Transport and Public Liaison, Mr Bheki Cele
Executive mayors present
Business Trust Executives Present
Esteemed guests
I am sure that many teams that are taking part in the challenge have
relished the chance of getting some fresh country air and losing those extra
kilograms that accumulate as we sit in those long tiring business meetings.
Even personally, I am looking forward to some great rivalry on the road with my
colleagues here, Ndosi and Ma'am Lydia Johnson tomorrow morning.
Even though the Business Trust Long Run is a great initiative to give
business executives a much needed break from their usual business of business,
this initiative is a really serious business of giving a boost to the effort of
creating job opportunities for our country. Business Trust has been a great
partner to the Department of Public Works effort to ensure that the Expanded
Public Works Programme (EPWP) works as efficiently as possible. As we all know,
the EPWP has a target of at least one million employment opportunities and
training provided to unemployed people in its first five years of
implementation. Our joint effort has resulted in the launching of the Expanded
Public Works Support Programme whose mission is to do just that: supporting the
EPWP.
The support that is provided through the EPWSP aims to expand the impact of
the EPWP by providing targeted assistance to government agencies and private
organisations engaged in the programme. The EPWS is provided in five support
programmes which are:
* Strategic and Technical Assistance Fund (Staf) provides strategic and
technical assistance to Department of Public Works and sector lead departments,
resulting in accelerated or expanded delivery of EPWP targets, through
assignments agreed jointly by DPW and EPWSP.
* Infrastructure Support Programme assists prioritised provincial line
departments and municipalities to set and achieve their EPWP targets, and
encourages effective private sector participation in EPWP. Technical support to
provinces and municipalities helps identify and implement EPWP projects, and a
management information system has been developed to track project
implementation.
* Social Sector Support Programme aims at increasing efficiency and
effectiveness of the ECD (Early Childhood Development) and HCBC (Home Community
Based Care) programmes, by providing support to improve service delivery.
Prioritised Provinces receive technical support in identifying and registering
ECD and HCBC sites, and accessing funds and training for volunteers. A MIS
system will record the number of sites, caregivers and volunteers, and a new
technology is being tested using cell phones to manage the activities
undertaken by caregivers.
* Environmental Sector Support Programme provides assistance to municipalities
to undertake labour intensive waste collection in under serviced areas, in a
way that develops Small Enterprises in the area being serviced.
* Economic Sector Support Programme provides technical support to DPW to
implement the New Venture Learnership Programme (NVLP), focused on creating
small medium enterprises (SMEs) through learnerships to selected emerging
enterprises that include work opportunities created by "ring-fenced"
procurement of goods and services by public bodies, technical support to
prioritised municipalities to identify and implement NVLs.
The support programme does not act as principal, but supports the Department
of Public Works, Sector Lead Departments and prioritised provinces and
municipalities to achieve EPWP targets. Activities are focused and prioritised
to achieve maximum impact and are systems driven. The support programme
operates on the basis of incentives and recognition, and a key focus is to
identify key innovations to increase job creation at scale, and apply
innovation in all aspects of the work being undertaken.
I would like to express my gratitude to the continued support of the
Business Trust for all our endeavours as government. What has been achieved so
far demonstrate your commitment to the development of our country as well as
the true value of partnerships and what they can achieve if pursued vigorously?
The Business Trust has contributed greatly to EPWP projects. It is our partners
are showcasing the best EPWP projects through the Kamoso Awards. Earlier today,
we met with the beneficiaries of the Zibambele project, which is making a
meaningful contribution to the alleviating poverty. Our working together with
the Business Trust has is proving to be a great lever in providing a networking
platform between business and government.
Once again, congratulations and well done to Business Trust.
Issued by: Department of Public Works
1 August 2007
