Central SA
Political parties welcome move to suspend EPWP funds in Matjhabeng─── ZENANDE MPAME 10:24 Tue, 29 Jul 2025
The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure has called for an immediate stop to all Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) transfers to the municipality, pending a full investigation into the reported abuse.
Political parties have welcomed the move to suspend the funding, but at the same time, they are sad for recipients who will suffer the most.
The funding has been suspended due to allegations that three former ward councillors earn R31,691 per month from the programme, and one current ward secretary also earns the same amount.
EPWPs are a government initiative aimed at creating temporary work opportunities for unemployed and underemployed individuals through labour-intensive projects.
“If you are to undermine a programme which is aimed at alleviating poverty, then you are a problem to our communities,” said Free State EFF MPL Malefane Msimanga.
“The worst part of it all is that the Executive Mayor, before the Portfolio Committee of CoGTA, denied knowing about this amount of money. It is even problematic that this money points directly to his office as the mayor.”
We are calling on our deployees in Matjhabeng to go and open a case of perjury, because it is clear that the executive mayor lied in parliament, he said.
The DA mentioned that the issue of inflated salaries of some EPWP workers in Matjhabeng municipality was first raised during a council sitting eight months ago. “The party welcomes the Minister’s decision to hold back the EPWP funding,” said Free State DA MPL Dave McKay.
“We accept the decision for the simple fact that until a full investigation has come to light and we understand it fully, unfortunately, the poor recipients who are on the ground, the true beneficiaries, will be suffering from it.”
Hopefully, this municipality will take this more seriously and make sure that the benefits go to the people who really need them, as EPWP has been designed for the old, the disabled, youth, unemployed, and the vulnerable, he said.
The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, suspended fund transfers to the municipality on Sunday (27/7), pending a full investigation into the reported abuse.
“The suspension is a long-overdue move that sends a strong message that national resources cannot continue to be channelled into municipalities where accountability is absent and corruption runs unchecked,” said Free State ActionSA Chairperson Patricia Kopane.
