Africa-Press – South-Africa. Public works and infrastructure minister Dean Macpherson has vowed to stop bribery, unfair treatment and nepotism in the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP).
Macpherson made this promise during an EPWP listening tour at the Disaster Management Centre in Johannesburg on Friday.
During the discussion with the community, Macpherson heard how municipal officials were allegedly abusing their roles in the programme through nepotism, bribery and misuse of funds.
Macpherson said the programme was aimed at creating work opportunities for those most affected by poverty and excluded from participating in the formal economy because of age.
“It is important that we are able to give people opportunities to employment and to better their lives with skills”, he said.
The EPWP listening tour was aimed at improving and reforming the programme and the event included a graduation ceremony for EPWP graduates who passed various courses.
“This tour is not just a series of events, it is a platform to restore dignity, bring transparency and hold every link in the EPWP delivery chain accountable”, Macpherson said.
, Participants in the programme said some of the issues they had included nepotism, low payment and corruption involving politicians and officials.
Macpherson said his department was working with the private sector to deliver the EPWP programmes and to stop any unfair treatment within the municipalities and ensure that the community received work opportunities.
“The system must be more transparent and we are committed to use technology for registrations for fair recruitment and assist participants with opportunities.
“We must build a coalition for reform, a movement that brings together trainers, employers, civil servants and citizens to make EPWP what it was always meant to be: a people’s programme,” said Macpherson.
He added that the community must report any form of corruption they see in the EPWP to the police.
“I give you my personal word that I will protect any whistle-blower who bravely speaks out about abuses”, he said.
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