Dear Editor
I will today write to the Deputy Minister of Public Works, Jeremy Cronin, to ask him to explain why it was that the ICC was used for the ANC Caucus meeting this morning, and why they were joined by hundreds of Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) participants.
Durban North Ward Councillor, Shaun Riley, of the DA, thought he needed to attend the meeting, but upon arrival was ordered by the eThekwini Mayor, Zandile Gumede, to leave immediately as it was, “an ANC caucus meeting”.
Despite the fact that I have been assured over and again by the Deputy Minister Cronin that the EPWP does not see thousands of work opportunities given only to ANC cadres, what happened in Durban today shows I have been misled.
The Mayor allegedly went on to promise to extend the EPWP contracts for the current participants until the work opportunities became permanent jobs. This, too, flies in the face of every fact we have been told of the Programme in the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee by the Deputy Minister.
It is generally accepted that indeed the poorest of the poor are only able to access these job opportunities if they can produce an ANC membership card.
The Deputy Minister of Public Works must answer to this abuse of the system he purports to be so proud of and try again to convince South Africa that there is no abuse of the programme which is generally viewed as system of largesse dished out by ANC Councillors to loyal cadres.
Unlike in DA-run municipalities, where these job opportunities are determined in a stadium filled with local residents, who have their IDs drawn from a barrel to ‘win’ the job opportunities.
Regards
Dianne Kohler Barnard MP
DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Public Works
