City takes EPWP to a higher level
14-04-2015
Public Works Deputy Minister Jeremy Cronin and Johannesburg Executive Mayor Councillor Parks Tau will on Wednesday 15 April be among several dignitaries who will officially launch phase 3 of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) in Johannesburg.
The programme is a government initiative aimed at reducing unemployment and alleviating poverty.
Phase 3 of the programme, scheduled to run until 2018, will provide residents and budding entrepreneurs of Johannesburg with valuable employment opportunities.
The phase was launched nationally in October last year by President Jacob Zuma, who said the aim was to create six million work opportunities during the five-year period.
Gauteng Premier David Makhura launched phase 3 of the programme at the provincial level in December.
EPWP creates valuable work opportunities in the infrastructure, non-state, environment, culture and social sectors. It also provides training and enterprise development support at a sub-programme level.
Tomorrow’s launch will take place at the Joburg Theatre.
Mayor Tau is expected to speak about the correlation between EPWP and the Jozi@Work programme, the City’s R1 billion empowerment and job-creation initiative.
Johannesburg Member of the Mayoral Committee for Economic Development Councillor Ruby Mathang will discuss the role of the City’s Department of Economic Development in addressing poverty, unemployment and inequality using EPWP as one of the tools.
Deputy Minister Cronin will deliver the keynote address, while City Manager Trevor Fowler will reflect on the City’s performance in the implementation of the programme’s phase 2 from 2009 to 2014.
He will also articulate the City’s intention to increase the number of work opportunities under the programme in the 2015-2016 financial year.
Chief Director of EPWP Infrastructure in the Department of Public Works, Ignatius Ariyo, will speak about the role of the EPWP Technical Support Team; while Bethuel Netshiswienhe, Head of Department at the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development, will highlight the importance of attaining phase 3 targets.