The State of the Expanded Public Works Programme in South African Cities

The South African Cities Network (SACN) EPWP Reference Group is a peer-based platform, comprising key city officials responsible for implementing the EPWP in their respective cities. This collective has continued to meet quarterly over the 2017/18 period, providing a forum in which experiences and knowledge are exchanged. The Reference Group continues to contribute to enhancing coordination between the cities and other role players towards the effective and synergistic implementation of the EPWP. This forum allows for continuous and consistent generation of knowledge and sharing of information, experiences and lessons learnt. As the SACN continues to facilitate the generation of knowledge and the sharing of information through the EPWP Reference Group, the key objective is to ensure that all stakeholders will continue to value these annual reports and the lessons highlighted therein. The aim is for the knowledge generated to contribute significantly to enhancing job creation in South Africa, through information, reflection and important learnings based upon the implementation of the EPWP – widely recognised as a flagship public employment programme. The experiences shared through this peer-based platform of cities are encapsulated in the annual report.

The aim of this report is therefore to highlight the progress and implementation of the EPWP by the cities in the 2017/18 year of Phase III of the EPWP. The main body of the report provides an overview of EPWP Phase III targets, the institutional arrangements that are in place, and the continuing challenges faced during implementation. This is followed by individual city reports (Annexure I), in which the focus is on progress made as well as the key obstacles and successes in implementing the EPWP. The final part of the report, Annexure II, describes some best-practice case studies in selected member cities that have been documented by the EPWP Reference Group (RG), in an effort to support shared learning from experience.