The members of the Community of Ntabankulu in the Eastern Cape have been the first beneficiaries of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) Community Safety Programme launched by Public Works Minister TW Nxesi on the 3rd of October 2013 in Ntabankulu Sports ground.
This programme which is an initiative of the EPWP Social Sector is being piloted in other three (3) municipalities around the country. There are 40 young unemployed persons employed under the project and its 100% youth, with 26 females and 14 males to safeguard neighbourhoods.
Addressing thousands of people gathered at Ntabankulu Sports Ground, Minister Nxesi urged the beneficiaries to be exemplary to other municipalities as this programme was launched first in their municipality. “This is the time to celebrate and remind ourselves that the government delivers and is committed to improving the lives of all our people,” said the Minister.
The Minister emphasised that this was one of the other important projects that the Department of Public Works was overseeing, adding that the department was also building small bridges in rural areas in the Eastern Cape to improve the safety and access for people in remote villages. Minister Nxesi also highlighted the importance of community involvement in the planning and delivery of these projects.
“We need community structures and leaders to ensure that there is tight control of the process of allocating EPWP work opportunities. We need to see in place open and transparent processes in allocating EPWP jobs. In this case, I am told that the work opportunities are being shared with at least two beneficiaries taken from each ward,” said the Minister.
The Minister appreciated the importance of partnerships between Ntabankulu Local Municipality Community Services Department / Traffic Section, DPW: EPWP Social Sector and the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA). “The implementation of the Ntabankulu Youth Community Safety and Security Project began in April 2013 as a pilot project of the EPWP Social Sector to create work opportunities which expanded the sector’s involvement at local level.
The project is designed to address youth unemployment, while also rendering security and safety services to school children, officials and communities in public buildings, in the town and surrounding areas of Ntabankulu,” explained the Minister. Minister Nxesi also reminded the gathering that Community Safety and Security is one of the government’s priorities, outcome 3 on ensuring that all people in South Africa are and feel safe.
“Guided by the rise in gender and child violence and other security challenges, Ntabankulu and EPWP Social Sector identified this project as a perfect intervention strategy while at the same time addressing youth poverty and unemployment,” the Minister remarked. He expressed his appreciation that the project will also be piloted on three sites in both the Western and Northern Cape.
“I can assure you that the successful implementation of these pilots will result in a national roll-out across municipalities, resulting in improved security and job creation for the youth.”
In his concluding statement, Minister Nxesi said: “As the ruling party and the government of the day, we have vowed to move into the second phase of transition to democracy where the emphasis is on social and economic improvement of the conditions of all our people.
Crucially, this includes combatting fraud and corruption as part of our national democratic revolution, addressing the question of land; and driving economic growth and job creation.”
