The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) is calling on communities in the Free State to participate in the ongoing community consultation meetings on the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) policy.
These public consultation meetings are part of the broader public consultation process that the department is implementing to solicit the inputs of South Africans in shaping the country’s policy on the EPWP.
“We call on all members of the public in the Free State to attend these consultation meetings, so that they can submit their inputs and comments on this policy. We wish to stress that their view in the formulation of this policy is critical to its enrichment.
“Their view is part of a critical process for participatory democracy,” the National EPWP Coordinator in DPWI, Lungisani Dladla, said.
Dladla is part of a team of DPWI officials, who are driving the implementation of these public consultation meetings in the Free State.
In the Free State, these public consultation meetings will be hosted in all districts.
The community consultation on the EPWP policy will take place at the following venues:
• Welkom – Thabong Indoor Sports Centre in Thabong on 21 September 2022.
• Bloemfontein – Batho Community Hall in Batho Location in Mangaung on 23 September 2022.
The community consultation meetings on the EPWP started on Monday in Bloemfontein, with DPWI officials engaging officials from various provincial departments on the policy.
On Tuesday, the DPWI officials engaged the community of Kroonstad on the policy. Some of the people who attended included councillors from Moqhaka Local Municipality, officials from Metsimaholo Local Municipality, non-profit organisations from various towns in the province, as well as community members from Kroonstad.
The Deputy Director for EPWP Enterprise Development in the province, Selaocwe Kabelo, said the policy will assist government to speak in one voice on EPWP matters.
Some managers leading the rollout of these public consultations in the Free Ste include the Deputy Director for EPWP National Youth Service, Karabo Malebese; the Manager of EPWP Training in the province, Rose Dichakane; the Deputy Director: Environment and Culture, Julia Seitheisho; the Deputy Director: EPWP Technical Support, Mahlodi Sebola, as well as the Deputy Director: EPWP Social Sector, Thapelo Sedupane.
EPWP is one of government’s medium- to long-term strategies to reduce unemployment and alleviate poverty through the creation of work opportunities using labour-intensive methods.
The EPWP is implemented in four sectors, namely, infrastructure, social, environment & culture, and non-State.
All spheres of government and State-owned entities are expected to implement the programme.
EPWP participants work in different projects such as the Community Work Programme, Early Childhood Development Programmes, Home Community-Based Care Programmes, Extra School Support Programmes, Working on Fire, Working for Water, and Roads Maintenance Projects, etc.
Through various skills and training that the participants receive from the EPWP, they stand a better chance to enter the formal job market and/or become entrepreneurs.
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