The National Economic Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC) and the department visited Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) and Community Works Programme (CWP) projects co-ordinated by the department in the Province.

NEDLAC development chambers receive quarterly reports on the performance of EPWP and CWP from Public Works as the co-ordinating department. The development chamber conducts site visits for physical verification where EPWP and CWP is being implemented to verify the accuracy of the progress reports submitted by Government.

NEDLAC social partners engage and submit proposals to ensure that the programme achieves its set targets and standards of creating work opportunities for unemployed people.

EPWP covers four(4) sectors: Infrastructure, Non-state, Environment, Culture and Social sector. The visits were structured to ensure that members get a mix of semi-rural and urban projects that are best performing and those that are underperforming in achieving their set EPWP and CWP targets.

The site visits covered five (5) projects within the Eastern Cape. Two (2) of the projects are under the Non-state sector; the Siyahluma Poultry Project in Keiskammahoek, Amahlathi Municipality and Mpumakapa Multi-Purpose Education Centre in Mooiplaas, Great Kei Municipality. The poultry project started in 2018 and already have 80 egg laying chickens and are awaiting another load of about 210 chickens.

The Mpumakapa Multi-Purpose Education Centre is one of the best performing projects as most unemployed youth in and around Great Kei are benefiting from the Centre. The centre trains the youth in handwork (sewing, bead work, handmade brooms, baskets, doeks, and table clothes), vegetable garden, soup kitchen on a daily basis and a support group for those living with HIV/AIDS by making home visits.

Two (2) other projects are within the Buffalo City Metro Municipality (BCMM): The Quigney and West Bank Cleaning and Greening project in East London and Morning Star in Mdantsane. The East London project was to ensure that the Quigney and West Bank areas are clean and neat at all times. The ‘Morning Star’ is a day care centre receiving assistance from the Department of Social Development.

Ndlambe Local Municipality had an Infrastructure project in Port Alfred, upgrading the West Beach Drive Road. The Municipality made use of the EPWP workers to do the upgrade.

Written by: Zuko Mankazana and Luvo Sandlana
Pictures by: Zuko Mankazana