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We will fight against unfair employment equity regulations and EPWP corruption in NMB

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Dear Editor

On Thursday 16 May 2024, the DA in the Eastern Cape protested in front of City Hall in Gqeberha to highlight the impact of national government’s unfair employment equity regulations on Nelson Mandela Bay and the impact of EPWP corruption on the Metro.

I was joined by the Mayor of the City of Tshwane Municipality, Cllr Cilliers Brink, DA EC Provincial Spokesperson, Cllr Georgina Faldtman, DA NMB Caucus Leader and former Mayor, Cllr Retief Odendaal, and DA NMB Spokesperson for Corporate Services, Cllr Annette Lovemore. (see pictures here, here, here, here and here)

The DA is in full opposition to the ANC’s discriminatory employment equity legislation in the form of the Employment Equity Amendment Bill. We are forced to comply with this legislation in NMB and, therefore, the municipality is being forced to implement a policy that shortlists and employs people based on the provincial demographics of the province. This had led to thousands of people being unfairly locked out of employment opportunities as municipal demographics differ vastly from provincial demographics.

It is clear that the municipal policy, in its current format as enforced by government, is unfair and extremely prejudicial to several communities.

Enforcing these unfair regulations cannot stand and that is why the DA has taken the Minister of Employment and Labour, Thulas Nxesi to court to have the act declared unconstitutional.

Since the ANC/EFF/PA Doomsday Coalition took over government they have reportedly been using the EPWP to create jobs for pals.

The abuse of EPWP funding has created an untenable situation where the money is being used to enrich connected individuals. The extent of this corruption was exposed when the DA was informed of individuals earning salaries of between R10 000 and R30 000 from EPWP funding.

The DA in Nelson Mandela Bay has now put together a policy to optimise the EPWP operation in the Metro and will be submitting this plan to council.

Our policy aims to:

  • Ensure that the opportunities provided by the EPWP are spread as widely as possible amongst the people who really need those opportunities.
  • Protect the EPWP from political interference, or any political involvement at all.
  • Develop operating standards that are simple and practical.
  • Ensure that an EPWP opportunity could equip participants for other work opportunities.
  • Allow regular oversight of the operation of the EPWP unit.
  • We will also submit a Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) application to force the municipality to provide information regarding EPWP appointments in the Metro.

We will expose those who have been using the EPWP as a cash cow for themselves and their pals and bring them to justice.

After the 29 May General Elections, a DA government will scrap job-killing policies like cadre deployment and race quotas and Rescue South Africa from its unemployment crisis.

Regards

Yusuf Cassim MPL
DA EC Provincial Chairperson

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