The Expanded Public Works (EPWP) provides socio-economic impact to communities
The Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) is a government initiative aimed at alleviating poverty and unemployment within the South African Communities through the provision of short term to medium term work opportunities to the poor, unskilled and unemployed South Africans.
In its nature, the EPWP participants’ employment period is determined by the project implementation period. Besides, the number of work opportunities created, the programme has successfully made a significant socio-economic impact to the communities through the creation and maintenance of community assets. “Among its major contribution towards the provision of services and assets, the EPWP has maintained over 40,000 km of provincial access roads and provided services to 595 schools through food production gardeners operating within the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP)” said the Deputy Director General of the EPWP, Mr Stanley Henderson.
This initiative is governed by the EPWP Ministerial Determination which is gazetted by the Minister of Labour, as a variation of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act which outline the working conditions of all EPWP participants who are employed across all EPWP sectors, namely: Infrastructure, Non-State Sector, Environment & Culture and Social
The current minimum daily wage rate as per the Ministerial Determination on EPWP is R78.86 per day. The average wage rate is higher, and varies across the different sectors of the EPWP. The average wage is R115 per day, but many projects pay wages that are much higher. The minimum wages increase annually and in line with the inflation rate.
“As EPWP Training remains to be the significant part of the Programme which provides skills development to EPWP participants, the EPWP is in partnership with various Training providers, among others is the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authority (MerSETA) which is providing Artisan Development Programme to EPWP participants said the Deputy Director General of the EPWP, Mr Stanley Henderson.
One of the EPWP participant who is in participating in this Programme is Ms Portia Khoza from Emalahleni (Witbank) in Mpumalanga Province, and currently placed at FLSmidth Buffalo (Pty) Ltd where she is receiving training in electrical studies.
“As young women, we have been afforded an opportunity to participate in a workplace that is dominated by men. In our journey in this programme, we have been exposed to more than electricity trade. We are receiving training in different areas such as assisting in building panels, wiring of machines, manufacturing of feeder breakers and in regular maintenance in the workplace. “We thank the Government, MerSETA and all participating companies for giving us an opportunity to live our dreams! You have all given us hope for a better future and we are grateful, said Ms Khoza ”.
“The Artisan Development Programme is a 3-4 year training programme which provides theoretical and practical training to the EPWP participants, therefore giving them the maximum exposure to work environment”, concluded Mr Henderson.
In its quest to uphold its mandate, the EPWP Phase 3 which started in April 2014, has created 1.5 million work opportunities against a set target of 6 million work opportunities by 2019.
As mandated by cabinet, this Programme is implemented within five year phases since its inception in 2004 and within the set number of work opportunities to be created by Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and all implementers of the Programme across all spheres of government.
Enquiries:
Kgomotso Mathuloe
Cell: 082 957 3667
Lesego Moretlwe
Cell: 082 957 3677
