The Republic of South Africa has recently celebrated a significant milestone of two decades of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) and has launched Phase Five of the programme in East London. This anniversary is a reminder of the programme's profound impact and its ongoing significance in shaping the country s socio-economic landscape.
Phase Five of the EPWP, which began in April 2021 and will run until March 2029, aims to introduce five million additional work opportunities in the next five years. These opportunities will prioritize inclusivity, targeting women, youth, and disadvantaged households. The ultimate objective is to promote inclusive growth, sustainable development, and community empowerment on a national scale.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged social partners and the private sector to collaborate with the government during Phase Five to create jobs and work opportunities for South Africa s youth, women, and persons with disabilities. The President said, "By working together through public and social employment programmes and by supporting small enterprises and cooperatives, more jobs can be created at a faster pace while improving the delivery of basic services."
Over 14 million work opportunities have been created across South Africa, and the Eastern Cape Province has contributed more than 1.6 million jobs to the EPWP programme in the past 20 years. The province has focused on areas such as infrastructure, social sectors, non-state, as well as environment and culture. Premier Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane has highlighted the Accelerated Professional and Trade Competency Development (APTCOD) as one of the province s outstanding initiatives within the EPWP programme. Launched in 2007, the project seeks to address skills shortages within the built environment. Currently, the programme has 1000 APTCOD learners who receive a monthly stipend of R 3 300 each, alongside 70 Assistant Mentors earning R 6 000 per month.
The launch of Phase Five represents a renewed commitment and reaffirms the government s dedication to addressing the challenges of unemployment and poverty while advancing the country's developmental goals.
