Public invited to comment on EPWP policy

Image source: Polina Tankilevitch from Pexels

The DPWI developed the EPWP Policy and it was approved by Cabinet on 31 August 2022 for public consultation.

“We are calling on all stakeholders and communities to engage the department on this policy during the countrywide EPWP policy public consultation sessions that the department will be embarking on over the next few weeks,” the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure said in a statement.

According to the department, these public consultation sessions will take place in all provinces starting from today.

During these consultation sessions, the public, through their representative structures, will be afforded an opportunity to discuss and contribute to the EPWP policy.

All interested parties may provide and submit written comments on the EPWP policy within 30 days, from the date of gazette. Thereafter the department will, after revising the policy based on the public input, consult NEDLAC on the EPWP policy.

It is expected that the revised EPWP policy will serve before Cabinet for approval later this year and it is expected that the final EPWP policy will be gazette early in 2023 for implementation.

The Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) is one of the government’s strategies to alleviate poverty through the creation of work opportunities using labour-intensive methods.

The EPWP is implemented in four sectors namely: infrastructure, social, environment and culture, and non-state.

All spheres of government and state-owned entities are expected to implement the programme.

The EPWP participants (beneficiaries) work on different projects such as Community Work Programme (CWP), Early Childhood Development Programmes, Home Community Based Care Programmes, Extra School Support Programmes, Working on Fire, Working for Water, Roads Maintenance Projects, etc.

The development and gazetting of the EPWP policy follow years of extensive engagements by DPWI and various stakeholders who are participating in the implementation of the EPWP.

The purpose of the EPWP Policy is to refocus the Public Employment Programme (PEP) agenda of government, with policy positions and programmes of action that are clearly defined, implementable and enforceable.

Since its inception on 01 April 2004 to 31 March 2022, more than 13 million work opportunities have been created in the EPWP across all spheres of government.