Lubhalwe ngu-Anita Dangazele
Njengoba Uhlelo Olunwetshiwe lwezeMisebenzi yoMphakathi (EPWP) lugubha iminyaka engu-20 luhlinzeka ngamathuba emisebenzi yesikhashana, uMengameli uCyril Ramaphosa wethule isigaba sesihlanu salolu hlelo ngoLwesithathu.
I-EPWP yethulwa ngokusemthethweni e-Limpopo ngo-2004 ukuze kuvuleke amathuba emisebenzi kulabo abangakwazi ukuthola imisebenzi emnothweni osemthethweni.
Kusukela lapho, lolu hlelo seludale amathuba emisebenzi angaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-14 ngokubambisana nohulumeni kanye nezinkampani ezizimele.
Umgubho weminyaka engu-20 ubanjelwe enkundleni yezemidlalo i-Buffalo City e-East London, e-Eastern Cape.
Lesi sifundazwe, esinezinga eliphezulu labantu abangasebenzi ezweni, singesesithathu ngokuhlomula okukhulu kulolu hlelo.
UNdunankulu wase-Eastern Cape u-Oscar Mabuyane uthe ukwethulwa kwesigaba sesihlanu se-EPWP kuzosiza ukubhekana nezinga eliphezulu labantu abangasebenzi esifundazweni.
“Sinethemba lokuthi sizosuka ekubeni isifundazwe sesithathu esihlomule kakhulu siye ekubeni ngesokuqala esihlomula kakhulu esigabeni sesihlanu. Olunye udaba ukuthi abantu bakithi bafudukela kwezinye izifundazwe ukuze bahlomule ku-EPWP ekubeni bengasizakala esifundazweni sethu.
“Isigaba sesihlanu sizokwenza isiqiniseko sokuthi abantu bakithi abaphumi esifundazweni bayofuna amathuba emisebenzi. Futhi, imboni yethu yezimoto iyakhula ngakho-ke, lokhu kuzobhekana nodaba lokuntuleka kwemisebenzi esifundazweni,” kusho uMabuyane.
Enkulumeni yakhe yosuku, uRamaphosa uthe i-EPWP ifakazela umbono wombuso othuthukayo ovuna abampofu futhi ogxile ekulweni nembangela yobubha, ukuntuleka kwemisebenzi kanye nokungalingani.
“Kule minyaka emihlanu edlule, imali engaphansi kuka-R41-billion idluliselwe emakhaya ahlwempu ukuqinisekisa ukuthi abahlanganyeli kanye nemizi yabo abaphili ngaphansi kobubha.
“Abasebenzi abebebambe iqhaza be-EPWP sebengene kulolu hlelo futhi kudlulele ngale kokuthola imali yokuziphilisa. Bafaka isandla ekwakheni elakuleli ukuthi libe izwe elingcono elinakekelayo, elibumbene nelingashiyi muntu ngaphandle,” kusho uRamaphosa.
Uthe uhulumeni wakhe uzoletha imisebenzi eyizigidi ezinhlanu ngohlelo lwe-Expanded Public Works Programme kule minyaka emihlanu ezayo.
Ohlomule ku-EPWP, uNomaphelo Mdayi oqeqeshelwe izicishamlilo e-Working On Fire uthe ukweleta lolu hlelo konke anakho.
“Kuningi engikuzuzile ngenxa yalolu hlelo. Ngajutshwa e-Canada amahlandla amathathu ngisebenza ezicishamlilweni ngenxa yalolu hlelo. Manje nginebhizinisi lami …futhi ngibonga kakhulu ngohlelo lwe-EPWP,” kusho uMdayi.
Esithombeni esingenhla: UMengameli uCyril Ramaphosa ekhuluma emcimbini.
Umthombo wesithombe: Facebook