Frustrations boil over as EPWP workers protest
"Workers were paid as little as R2 000 a month for full-time work. They also do not receive payslips or UIF.”
Thousands of people employed by the expanded public works programme (EPWP) marched and camped at the Union Buildings in Pretoria this week.
The workers marched to the departments of infrastructure, development, health, basic education, treasury, Tshwane House and the Union Buildings to hold a night vigil on Wednesday, having arrived in buses from different parts of Gauteng.
The workers were part of the National Union of Public Workers and Allied Workers (Nupsaw).
Worker representative Philip Makwala said it was unfair for the Tshwane metro to give workers contracts that stipulated that they may not join unions and lead demonstrations.
“We note with sadness and pain that some powers that be threatening workers with termination when they take necessary action to enforce their rights.”
Makwala said as EPWP workers, they demanded that councillors stop having the power to appoint and influence the dismissal of their colleagues.
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“As we speak, there are people who could not join us as we are threatened by ward councillors.”
Nupsaw members said there were more than 5 000 public works programme participants in Gauteng.
“Across various municipalities and provincial departments, 45 000 workers are exploited,” said spokesperson Kagiso Makoe.
She said many of these workers had been employed in the EPWP since 2013.
“The EPWP workers have been denied the right to permanently be employed by government and are excluded from the labour relations act.”
Makoe said the all-night vigil throughout Thursday was held to fight for living and working conditions of the EPWP, community health workers and early childhood development practitioners.
“They are attacked and insulted by the departments which they are occupying.”
Nupsaw demanded that the workers be integrated and paid a minimum wage of R12 500.
The workers said they could not “allow the government to continue to ignore the cries of the hard-working employees”.
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“We are ready to bring down the government for the working class,” Makoe said.
“EPWP workers are placed in schools, clinics, hospitals, parks, road maintenance; however, they are paid an apartheid wage.”
Makoe said the EPWP workers were demanding to be employed via labour brokers so municipalities and government would hire them as permanent staff.
Gauteng EPWP workers forum general secretary Anna Tselane said the public works scheme was used to deny workers their rights.
She said workers were paid as little as R2 000 a month for full-time work.
“We also do not receive payslips or UIF.”
She said the worst of it all is that some of their contracts were expiring on 31 March 2020.
“We give the City of Tshwane 14 days to act and institute a process of insourcing these workers.
“They need to have payslips and feel like everyone else who works for this city,” he said.
Tshwane metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said Tshwane had 12 866 EPWP participants.
Mashigo said, “the nature of EPWP is to cater only for temporarily employment”.
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He said the programme was one of the government’s key programmes aimed at alleviating poverty by creating temporary employment for the unemployed.
“The EPWP projects employ workers on a temporary basis with government, contractors, or other non-governmental organisations under the ministerial conditions of employment for the EPWP.”
He said the participants’ contracts were linked with the duration of the project.
“Permanent employment does not fall under the umbrella of EPWP.”
Mashigo said Tshwane EPWP workers, however, did receive printed monthly payslips.
“Those employed by the contractor receive their payslip through the contractor.”
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