SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT SHOWCASES EPWP SUCCESS IN ORANGE FARM

By Lorato Modisenyane.

•⁠ ⁠The Gauteng Department of Social Development, along with other government departments, conducted an oversight visit to Afrika Tikkun’s Arekopaneng Centre in Orange Farm, south of Johannesburg.
•⁠ ⁠The department wanted to find out the impact of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) being implemented at the centre.
•⁠ ⁠The EPWP is a key short- to medium-term strategy aimed at combatting unemployment and poverty by creating work opportunities for semi-skilled and unskilled individuals using labour-intensive methods.

Documenting the experiences of beneficiaries of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) is important in measuring whether such initiatives have changed lives and providing inspirational testimonials for others in need.

One such follow-up was undertaken by the Gauteng Department of Social Development, along with other government departments, which conducted an EPWP onsite visit at Afrika Tikkun’s Arekopaneng Centre in Orange Farm, south of Johannesburg.

The purpose of the visit was also to showcase the department’s interventions through joint partnerships, creating job opportunities in the province, reducing the high unemployment rate, alleviating poverty, and documenting the experiences of beneficiaries whose lives have been impacted by the EPWP.

The personal testimonies are intended to inspire unemployed youth and adults, guiding them to make informed decisions about their education and career paths.

The programme also encourages learners to select subjects in high school that align with their chosen careers, making it easier for them to meet university and college entry requirements.

The Department of Social Development is the lead department in the EPWP social sector and has been responsible for championing the programme in the province since April 2021.

Part of its mandate includes reporting on the progress of onsite participants, as well as monitoring the performance of departments and the social sector at large.

The EPWP is one of the government’s key short- to medium-term strategies aimed at combatting unemployment and poverty.

It creates work opportunities for semi-skilled and unskilled individuals using labour-intensive methods, encouraging youth and other targeted groups to seize opportunities that improve their livelihoods and promote economic sustainability.

Addressing the various departments, Seipati Motlabane, a social work manager for the EPWP, emphasised the importance of empowering beneficiaries with skills they can use beyond the programme.

“The EPWP is a key government initiative aimed at accelerating service delivery through partnerships with non-governmental organisations.

“We have a responsibility to equip our beneficiaries with skills that enable them to support themselves and uplift their families when they leave the programme. This is why we have all these stakeholders present, to showcase the integration of government services,” Motlabane said.

Various stakeholders used the visit to share information about their services.

Vusi Mazibuko from the Department of Employment and Labour encouraged beneficiaries to broaden their job search beyond Gauteng.

“We are prepared to support you, but you must change your mind set about expecting everything to be handed to you.

“Go out there, seek information, visit labour centres in your area, volunteer while waiting for employment, and be patient. Start somewhere,” he said.