DA Seeks Investigation Into Buffalo City EPWP Recruitment Allegations.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has asked Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson to investigate allegations of political interference in Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality’s Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP).

DA Buffalo City Constituency Leader Leander Kruger MPL said the request follows reports that about 200 people were recruited in Ward 20 in Mdantsane through a process allegedly facilitated by an ANC volunteer who is also the party’s councillor candidate for the ward.

The councillor candidate has denied involvement in the recruitment, while Buffalo City maintains that its EPWP programme complies with national guidelines and is free from political interference.

Kruger said the DA wants the investigation to establish whether the recruitment complied with EPWP requirements, whether political figures influenced participant selection and whether the appointments and funding were properly authorised.

The party is also seeking clarity on an earlier municipal review after an instruction was reportedly issued in August for certain EPWP contracts, activities and participant deployments to cease pending approvals and a review.

The DA has called on Buffalo City to release recruitment criteria, selection records, project approvals and funding information relating to the programme.

No finding of wrongdoing has been made in relation to the Ward 20 allegations.