The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, has confirmed that all Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) Integrated Grant funds for 2023-’24 and 2024-’25 have been fully accounted for and utilised strictly on approved projects.
The minister’s report brings clarity to recent allegations and confirms that the officials highlighted in media reports are not EPWP participants, nor are they funded through the national EPWP Integrated Grant. Instead, they form part of an EPWP support unit established by the municipality and funded from the municipal budget.
“We note the minister’s directive that EPWP funds previously withheld, be released to ensure the continuation of projects that provide much-needed work opportunities for the people of Matjhabeng. As a municipality, we reaffirm our commitment to proper governance and accountability in the management of all public funds.
“We confirm collaboration with the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure and other national departments to expand opportunities for our residents. We also confirm and affirm reducing unemployment through the effective use of programmes such as the EPWP, which already created 373 work opportunities in 2023-’24 and 751 in 2024-’25,” says Tshediso Tlali, spokesperson for the executive mayor of the Matjhabeng municipality.
Tlali says the municipality remains resolute in its determination to turn Matjhabeng around and position it as an ideal municipality, one that upholds transparency, delivers quality services, creates sustainable work opportunities, and builds trust with its residents.
“The confirmation that EPWP funds were used correctly and along with the release of withheld allocations, will enable us to continue on this path of renewal and progress. Matjhabeng remains focused on building good governance practices, implementing sustainable development initiatives, and becoming a model of accountability and service excellence,” he says.
The Independent South African National Civic Organisation (ISANCO), a community-based social civic movement, has also welcomed the report as released by Macpherson on allegations of EPWP funds being abused by the Matjhabeng Local Municipality.
“ISANCO understands that the minister’s investigations were propelled by allegations relating to misuse of the EPWP funds, funded through the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure as reported in the public. The report has exposed further corruption which takes place within the municipality, and has uncovered that there is an EPWP support unit that was irregularly and unlawfully created within the office of the executive mayor,” says Stoffel Sibeko, provincial convener of ISANCO.
Sibeko says they have written a letter to the Free State MEC and minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta), urgently requesting that these allegations be investigated.
“It is our submission that such unit lacks legitimacy as it is not part of the municipal approved organisational structure and has no allocated budget, making the expenditure both irregular and unauthorised. It is therefore imperative to investigate the overlap in responsibilities, identify who sanctioned the unit, define its core purpose, and rationalise the use of taxpayers’ money for what seems to be a corrupt systematic scheme established to milk and misdirect municipal funds funded for service delivery for purpose of self-political enrichment.”
ISANCO demands that a comprehensive review of salary structures, application of the structures Act, and adherence to municipal staff recruitment and regulation is also essential in establishing how the personnel within the said irregular unit were recruited and funded, be done.
He says that is clear to the public eye that this unit with its irregularities is functioned and operated by, among others, politically connected, former ANC councillors and ANC leaders.
“We are of the opinion that salaries directed to this irregular self-created unit are being used to sustain political patronage networks for the purpose of self-serving and enrichment. The unit, operates outside the perimeters of the municipal funded organisational structure, therefore used as parallel employment system for ANC connected figures. ISANCO has requested Cogta to refer back to us within seven working days,” says Sibeko.
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