Public Works and Infrastructure
By Mpho Moloi
Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson will tomorrow host the Minister in the Presidency from the United Republic of Tanzania, marking a significant step in strengthening ties around South Africa’s largest poverty alleviation effort, the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP). The visit, set for Tuesday, 18 March 2025, aims to share insights and explore ways to enhance this flagship initiative, which is gaining attention across Africa and beyond.
A Landmark Visit for EPWP Growth
The Tanzanian delegation, arriving with senior government officials, private sector leaders, and academics, will join Macpherson under the theme “Transformative impact of the EPWP through entrepreneurship and skills development”. This collaboration highlights the EPWP’s growing reputation as a model for tackling unemployment and poverty. “This flagship programme which is currently being enhanced to make more meaningful impact is receiving more recognition on the continent of Africa and globally,” the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure said in a statement.
The EPWP, launched by Cabinet in 2004, focuses on creating work opportunities across four key sectors: infrastructure, non-state, environment and culture, and social services. By using labour-intensive methods, it draws in large numbers of participants, offering them temporary jobs while building skills. Tomorrow’s meeting will explore how entrepreneurship and training can amplify its impact, potentially inspiring Tanzania to adapt similar strategies.
EPWP’s Success and Challenges
Since its inception, the EPWP has been a cornerstone of South Africa’s fight against poverty. A strategic review of its first phase, presented to Cabinet in June 2008, showed the programme hit its target of one million work opportunities a year ahead of schedule. This milestone, achieved in 2008, underscored its potential. However, the review also flagged constraints like funding shortages and logistical hurdles that capped its growth.
Fast forward to 2025, and the programme is in its fifth phase, with Macpherson pushing reforms to make it more effective. Recent updates from the department show the EPWP created over 4.7 million work opportunities between 2004 and 2023, according to a SAnews report from last year. Yet, the Minister has voiced concerns about its misuse, with allegations of political interference and corruption surfacing in places like KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape. His ongoing nationwide listening tour, launched in 2024, aims to address these issues and shift the EPWP towards skills-based outcomes that lead to permanent jobs.
What Tanzania Brings to the Table
The Tanzanian visit isn’t just a one-way street. While South Africa shares its EPWP expertise, Tanzania’s delegation brings its own experience in community-driven development. Reports from The Citizen Tanzania suggest the country has been rolling out labour-intensive public works projects in rural areas, focusing on roads and water systems. This aligns with the EPWP’s infrastructure focus, opening the door for mutual learning.
Macpherson’s team hopes to tap into Tanzania’s insights on engaging private sector partners and academia – key players in tomorrow’s talks. “The inclusion of private sector and academic voices signals a forward-thinking approach to scaling up poverty alleviation,” said a department insider. This could mean new funding models or training programmes for South Africa’s EPWP, especially as it battles budget cuts – the 2024/25 allocation sits at R2.2 billion, down from R3 billion the previous year, per a gov.za budget speech.
A Vision for Jobs and Growth
Macpherson, who took office in July 2024, has made infrastructure-led growth a priority. His collaboration with Tanzania fits into his broader goal of turning South Africa into a “construction site” to boost the economy and create jobs. The EPWP is central to this vision, with its labour-intensive approach seen as a quick win for unemployment, currently hovering around 32.9%, according to Stats SA’s latest figures.
Trending discussions on X reveal growing public interest in the EPWP’s evolution, with users praising Macpherson’s reform efforts but calling for faster results. Tomorrow’s meeting could set the stage for a revamped EPWP that not only meets South Africa’s needs but also inspires other African nations. The Minister’s push to host such engagements – this being his first major bilateral since taking office – underscores his commitment to transparency and cooperation, as noted in a July 2024 Engineering News interview.
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