DA demands answers over Buffalo City EPWP jobs freeze

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is demanding answers from Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality over a reported move to halt Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) activities and participant deployments by the end of August.

DA Buffalo City Constituency Leader Leander Kruger MPL said on Friday that a letter reportedly from a senior municipal official called for EPWP contracts, activities and participant deployments to cease by 31 August, pending required approvals and a review of the programme.

The DA has also raised allegations that political considerations may have influenced access to some EPWP work opportunities. No evidence establishing those allegations was provided in the statement.

Kruger said the party has launched an “Open the Books” petition calling for greater transparency around the municipality’s EPWP programme.

The DA wants Buffalo City to disclose how affected projects were approved, how participants were selected, the number of participants appointed per project and ward, and how much money was committed and spent.

It is also seeking clarity on whether any participants are still owed money for work already performed and wants the findings of the municipality’s review made public.

The party has further called on the Buffalo City council to investigate allegations of political interference in the allocation of EPWP opportunities.

“EPWP opportunities are not political favours to be handed out to the connected. They are publicly funded work opportunities intended for residents who desperately need an income and a foothold in the labour market,” Kruger said.

He said the reported review of projects, participant deployments, contracts, approvals, deliverables and expenditure raised questions about what had prompted the process.

“We want to be clear that this is not an attack on EPWP. It is a fight to protect the programme from abuse,” Kruger said.

The DA said EPWP appointments should be conducted fairly and transparently and called on the municipality to publish information about the programme and the outcome of its review.

The claims concerning political interference remain allegations.

Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality had not responded to the allegations at the time of publication. Komani News will update the report should a response be received.