Welcome to epwp

The Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) has its origins in Growth and Development Summit (GDS) of 2003. At the Summit, four themes were adopted, one of which was ‘More jobs, better jobs, decent work for all’. The GDS agreed that public works programmes ‘can provide poverty and income relief through temporary work for the unemployed to carry out socially useful activities’.

This Programme is a key government initiative, which contributes to Government Policy Priorities in terms of decent work & sustainable livelihoods, education, health; rural development; food security & land reform and the fight against crime & corruption. EPWP subscribes to outcome 4 which states “Decent employment through inclusive economic growth.” The EPWP has been established and mandated by Cabinet to create work opportunities according to the set targets and across all its four sectors, namely: – Infrastructure, Non-State, Environment & Culture, and Social sectors. One of the prescripts of the EPWP is to use labour-intensive methods which allow the drawing of a significant number of participants into the Programme to do the work.

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Minister
Sihle Zikalala
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Deputy Minister
Bernice Swarts
Lead Sector Departments
  • Lead Sector Entity