Ermelo: Mpumalanga MEC for Public Works, Roads and Transport Dumisile Nhlengethwa recently held a two- day Phase 3 Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) 2014 summit at Gert Sibande District Municipality (GSDM).
With the summit, the MEC aimed to address job creation issues in the province, address how the province will contribute with 390 000 EPWP job opportunities towards the national target of 6 million in the next five years.
More than 300 delegates from the public and private sector including non-governmental organisations attended the summit.
15Executive Mayors of various municipalities in the province signed the EPWP Provincial Municipal Summit Declaration.
Among others, the declaration strives to ensure EPWP projects are optimised in the Integrated Development Plans of municipalities and to recommit on the implementation of all resolutions taken during the National Summit.
In her address, MEC Nhlengethwa explained that the province would target five per cent and more economic growth per year, as such the growth will be expected to create about 390 000 sustainable job opportunities by 2019.
One of the beneficiaries, Sibongile Shongwe of EPWP Siyatentela (“we’re doing it ourselves”), shared with the audience how this project has changed her life.
She also appealed to the MEC to extend working days from three to five a week.
The EPWP is a nationwide programme aimed at addressing the high unemployment rate and creating job opportunities to reduce poverty.
