The City of Cape Town Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) continues to act as a vehicle for jobseekers in Cape Town to develop skills in the current financial year and has committed to increasing the focus on training and skills development.
According to the City of Cape Town management, over R460 million is being invested by the City over the course of the current 20 multi-year skills-development project period, and this includes both City and National grant funding.
While the majority of job opportunities in the EPWP public employment program, comprises of unskilled work opportunities the employment programme also simultaneously acts as a skills development vehicle for recruitment into Law Enforcement, Invasive Species Control, and other areas where participants can complete studies or skills training programmes while assisting with services and roles that benefit Cape Town residents.
Some of the more notable multi-year EPWP skills projects that will either commence or continue this year include:
· The Kader Asmal Skills Development Programme: A labour-intensive rehabilitation and restoration of natural environments, which is implemented in the City’s Nature Reserves and conversation areas. Since its inception, a total of 233 participants have benefited from this programme with a total of 114 exiting the programme into long-term employment opportunities or to further their studies and/or to venture into entrepreneurship. · Law Enforcement Auxiliary Expansion Programme: This programme aims to ensure By-Law Enforcement and crime prevention through specified interventions city-wide. The Auxiliary Law Enforcers patrol, observe and report anti-social behaviour incidents to Law Enforcement.
· Solid Waste Management Auxiliary Law Enforcement (ALEO) Project: This is aimed at providing a mechanism to upscale enforcement and deliver public employment to help eradicate the scourge of illegal dumping.
· Entrepreneurship Trainee Project: The purpose of this project is to train entrepreneurship-inclined participants from mainly growth sectors of the City on key, research-identified interventions that will enhance their entrepreneurial activities – thereby leading them to operate more successful enterprises. It will also improve the entrepreneurship skills of participants and create platforms of employment for communities by targeting participants operating within vulnerable communities.
· EPWP Transversal Support Project: This project of the City’s corporate EPWP office provides a transversal support function to line Departments implementing EPWP within the City. The projectallows participants to study accredited qualifications in public administration while assisting with the implementation of EPWP and other operations in the City.
· Women at Work – This Urban Mobility programme is aimed at strengthening women-only road repair teams through a comprehensive training and Change Management Support programme. It includes supportive components of each aspect of the value chain such as selection and recruitment, on-boarding, training, performance management and career development.
What to know about EPWP registration:
1. Visit your local sub-council to register your name with the Jobseekers Database. Please bring a copy of your CV, your ID or a valid South African work permit, and proof of residence.
2. It is free. The City will not ask residents to pay for work opportunities or pay to apply for a work opportunity.
3. Details must be updated on an annual basis to remain eligible for short-term contracts
For more information, contact the EPWP Help-Desk on 021 400 9406 or email epwp.help@capetown.gov.za.
