Macpherson suspends all EPWP funds to municipality

Public Works minister Dean Macpherson has suspended all Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) fund transfers to the Matjhabeng Local Municipality.

This follows reports that the municipality’s EPWP payroll is allegedly being used to pay inflated salaries, more than R31,000 per month, to former councillors and current political office-bearers, while others are paid as little as R1,500.

This is more than ten times the average EPWP stipend.

Jobs

According to reports, municipal insiders said this practice continues to undermine the EPWP’s purpose and prevents thousands of local young people from accessing jobs.

Under EPWP rules, jobs must be short-term and skills-based, prioritising vulnerable and unemployed groups, particularly young people, women and people with disabilities. Employment is limited to 24 months within a five-year cycle.

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‘Lifeline’

Macpherson said the EPWP was established to provide short-term, skills-based work opportunities, not as a vehicle for political patronage.

“The EPWP is an essential lifeline for many in communities across the country, including in Matjhabeng, and it would therefore be wholly unacceptable if any politician or official is found to have used the programme for personal benefit.

“We simply cannot turn a blind eye when serious allegations of abuse are raised, which is why I have instructed the department to suspend EPWP fund transfers until a formal investigation can be completed,” Macpherson said.

Reformation

Macpherson added that the allegations further reinforce his view that the EPWP must be reformed to eliminate any possibility of abuse and ensure that intended beneficiaries fully benefit from the programme, free from political interference.

“Through the EPWP Listening Tour conducted nationwide, we have heard several serious allegations of abuse — such as those in Matjhabeng — and it is therefore critical that the programme be strengthened to eliminate any possibility of corruption and political patronage.

“After 20 years, we are committed to reforming the EPWP to ensure it remains a viable platform for empowerment well into the future, as we work to build a better South Africa,” Macpherson said.

EPWP

The EPWP, launched in 2004, aimed to tackle unemployment through labour-intensive projects like road maintenance, sanitation and community work.

Earlier this month, Macpherson vowed to restore public trust in his department by taking decisive action against mismanagement, repurposing idle state assets, and reforming the EPWP.

Macpherson confirmed that investigations into the Telkom Towers project and the PSA Oxygen Plant, managed by the Independent Development Trust (IDT), are expected to be completed by late July 2025.

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