The City of Cape Town’s Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) continues to provide valuable income support to job-seeking residents, while at the same time providing useful public service and transferring marketable skills to beneficiaries.
The EPWP aims to assist the residents of Cape Town with temporary work opportunities, to earn an income and acquire skills that could make them more employable.
As of 30 April 2022, the City of Cape Town has created 32 958 work opportunities in the 2021/22 financial year. This is in line with previous years, showing that the programme still has a lot of momentum and plenty of potential to grow if resources are provided.
Over the current Integrated Development Plan (IDP) period (2017-2022), over 170 000 job opportunities were created in the programme, despite recruitment challenges that the lockdown has created.
The programme has allowed the creation of very diverse work opportunities including, but not limited to:
• call centre workers
• data capturing
• learnerships in various sectors
• cleaning
• community liaison officers
• law auxiliary enforcement officers
• traffic wardens
• field workers
The work opportunities are created through both direct and indirect employment methods. Direct employment opportunities are created when the City contracts directly with EPWP workers, while indirect employment opportunities are created through the City’s service providers or contractors.
‘These work opportunities empower residents by giving candidates an opportunity to gain work experience, and allowing them to gain skills through our accredited skills programme. This again shows that EPWP is not just for street sweeping as perceived by some in our communities,’ said Alderman Grant Twigg, Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Waste Management.
What to know about EPWP registration:
• Visit your local subcouncil to register your name with the Jobseekers Database. Please bring a copy of your CV, your ID document or a valid South African work permit.
• It is absolutely free. The City will not ask community members to pay for work opportunities, or pay to apply for a work opportunity.
Source: City Of Cape Town