Deputy president Jacob Zuma on Saturday launched the extended public works programme (EPWP), and said the greatest challenge was to mobilise all municipalities, provincial departments and other public sector bodies to implement the programme.
Speaking in Durban at the second of eight provincial launches of the programme, Zuma said the programme aimed to assist the unemployed as well as provide infrastructure.
He called on all the provinces to launch their frameworks of the programme by next month.
After the Northern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal is the second province to launch the programme.
”I would like to use this opportunity to call on all nine provincial administrations to become activists for the public works programme, and to ensure that the provincial governments create as many work opportunities as possible.
”This is the only way that the EPWP can become big enough to have the impact on unemployment and training that we are looking for,” Zuma said.
”The philosophy behind the EPWP is to help people in order for them to help themselves.”
Zuma said the successful implementation of the programme, using public sector funding, should, in the next five years create work opportunities for the marginalised, improve the skills base of those unable to actively participate in the growing opportunities brought by a stable and growing economy, and ensure that social services were enhanced.
National and provincial steering committees have been set up to drive the implementation of the programme.
An EPWP training committee co-ordinated by the Labour Department has been established, and includes relevant Sector Education and Training Authorities (Setas) in line with the four sectors making up the EPWP. – Sapa