ANC loots electricity for its birthday celebrations – mayor of Kgatelopele must pay up
| by Reinette Liebenberg – DA Northern Cape Provincial Constituency Head for Central North |
| Date: 15 October 2019 |
| Release: Immediate |
| The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Northern Cape is calling on the Department of Roads and Public Works to ensure that the principles of fairness and transparency are enforced in the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP).This comes amidst allegations that the Kareeberg ANC-Mayor, Norman Van Wyk, hijacked the road maintenance job creation programme in Vosburg for political gain. It is believed that he allocated 40 EPWP jobs to a select group of people on 30 September 2019, without consulting with the respective ward councillor or the community, as he is required to do. The project is scheduled to run from beginning of October until the end of December this year.At the same time, Van Wyk has blatantly lied to me, the ward councillor and the community about the project, denying any knowledge of it. This, while the Department of Roads and Public Works has confirmed the existence of the road maintenance project.It is unfair and unethical to capture programmes meant to improve the lives of the poorest of the poor and instead use them for vote winning purposes. Disturbingly, this has become common practise in the Northern Cape.Something needs to be urgently done to restore the integrity of the EPWP.The basic principles of fairness and transparency are clearly stated in the EPWP recruitment guidelines. The guidelines further emphasize that the recruitment process shall afford equal opportunity to the targeted community members, that the process shall not be manipulated for gain and that members of the target community shall be afforded the opportunity to monitor the recruitment process.Clearly, the guidelines are too frequently and too easily being sidestepped to benefit connected individuals.The DA is therefore appealing to the MEC of Roads and Public Works, Abraham Vosloo, who is the custodian of the EPWP, to ensure better policing of EPWP projects. There can be no excuse, municipalities must be forced to comply with the EPWP regulations or face the consequences.The DA will also write to the MEC of COGHSTA, Bentley Vass, requesting him to engage with the mayor on this particular matter.Its high time that the EPWP benefits those whom it was intended for and not just those who have close ties to the ruling party. |
| Media Enquiries |
| Reinette LiebenbergDA Northern Cape Provincial Constituency Head for Central North071 733 2640 Shelley De WittResearcher082 847 1387 |
Related posts