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Cape Town - The state-supported expanded public works programme (EPWP ) phase three - which started on April 1 this year - aimed to create three to six million work opportunities by March 31 2019, said Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi on Tuesday.
In a written question James Masango, a DA MP, asked what the salary scale was for the workers.
“The new prescribed minimum EPWP wage as from November 1 2014 is R75.10 (a day),” the minister replied. This would be adjusted in line with inflation on an annual basis. It had been R60 a day in 2010.
The minister reported that the work opportunity target of one million applied over a five year period from April 1 2004 to March 31 2009, the first phase of the EPWP. This rose to 4.5 million over the period April 1 2009 to March 31 2014, the second phase.
By the end of March 2014, phase two had created more than four million jobs - about 500 000 short of the target, said Nxesi, responding to another question form Dudu Mathebe, an ANC MP.
“In South Africa the expanded public works programme is regarded as a flagship programme of government to alleviate poverty and complement other programmes that address structural unemployment,” said Nxesi.
Referring to the programme’s focus on infrastructure, Nxesi reported that 222 770 km of roads had been maintained “through periodic and routine maintenance”. In addition more than 27 000 youth had been trained in artisan trades.
“Through the Vuk’Uphile contractor development programme, more than 161 labour intensive contracting companies were developed (across the country),” said Nxesi.
More than three million hectares of land with invasive alien vegetation was rehabilitated and cleared through the land care programmes and more than 150 000 indigenous trees were saved. Some 6 000 small, medium and micro enterprises had benefited through work in the environment.
Some 330 non-profit organisations nationally have partnered with government to deliver community driven initiatives, he said.
“Unused spaces in public clinics and schools have been turned into food gardens for use by centres for orphans and vulnerable children,” said Nxesi.
The minister added that in phase three, training interventions were specific to the “operational needs of the different sectors”. Thus the Further Education and Training Institutions and the Sector Education Training Authorities were being drawn in to provide “accredited training” for the workers.
The targeted groups for employment were women, female-headed households, youth, the disabled and households coping with HIV/Aids, Nxesi said.
- Fin24
