Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson has ordered an urgent investigation into allegations that Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) participants at the Bojanala District Municipality, were forced to perform domestic work for a Mayoral Committee official and coerced into paying political membership fees for her party.
The minister’s call follows weekend media reports regarding the allegations, which the minister said are deeply disturbing and contrary to the very purpose of the EPWP.
“The Minister said such actions, if proven true, would amount to a serious abuse of power and a betrayal of the EPWP’s purpose of providing dignified, skills-based work opportunities for unemployed South Africans.
He reaffirmed that the department would act against any official or politician found guilty of misconduct, as part of broader reforms to make the EPWP more transparent, accountable, and free from political interference,” read a statement from the department.
Mcpherson said if the allegations are true, they’ll be in contrary to the mandate of the EPWP, which was intended to be a programme intended to create dignified, skills-based work opportunities for unemployed South Africans.
“If these claims are true, they represent a serious abuse of power and a betrayal of public trust.
The EPWP was created to empower communities, not to serve anyone’s personal or political interests.
I have requested departmental officials to work with their provincial counterparts in the North West, as well as the Bojanala District Municipality, to verify the allegations and determine whether national EPWP funds were misused and if the recruitment policy was abused,” added the statement.
The minister warned that any individual found to have benefited improperly would face swift and appropriate action, including possible criminal referral.
The Minister said that it is because of allegations such as those levelled in Bojanala, that he launched a nationwide EPWP listening tour over the past year to listen to the concerns of the community as he works to reform the program.
According to the department, the EPWP is a medium-to long-term government-funded programme that promotes the use of labour-intensive methods to create work opportunities for poor and unemployed South Africans.
In addition to gaining skills and earning an income, the work opportunities also allow participants to gain valuable work experience that make them employable.
