It become business as usual for the Provincial Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport, not to meet their own set EPWP targets while residents are hungry without jobs.
According to the department’s own Annual Report for 2022/2023, they were only able to achieve 57% of their Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) targets, whilst spending 100% of the budget meant for such.
With Mpumalanga’s expanded unemployment rate of 46.7% as per the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) for the third quarter of 2023, it cannot be that the department keeps failing yearly to meet set EPWP targets which are meant to provide temporary employment to those in difficult times.
They have failed yet again to attain the following set targets:
- Number of youths employed (18-35) by 1 541
- Number of persons with disabilities employed as the Department only provided employment to 3 out of a target of 186
- Number of work opportunities created by Provincial Public Works, Roads and Transport by 916
It cannot be denied that constant rising cost of living has also placed an added burden on residents in the province. Looking at statistics compiled by Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group (PMEJDG), it becomes evident that between January and October 2023, the cost of a food basket in the country has increased by R636.
In line with the above points and the fact that a large proportion of the population of Mpumalanga is unemployed and dependent on social grants as a source of income, the DA in the province has written to the Department of Public Works, Roads and Transport MEC, Mandla Ndlovu, asking him to start delivering on the department’s mandate of being the key drivers of economic opportunities in the province. This department has also failed dismally on its mandate of being the coordinator of all EPWP in all provincial departments. If they can’t do the jobs they are paid handsomely to do, then the entire management of the department and their political principals must just ship-out and make way for people who will work for their salaries.