By Emily Setona
QWAQWA – Councillors in Maluti-a-Phofung have been accused of abusing the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) by giving jobs to relatives and even domestic workers – prompting stern warnings during a tense council sitting this week.
The debate unfolded at Phuthaditjhaba Multipurpose Hall on Thursday, where Mayor Malekula Melato sought approval for a new EPWP project that will run from 28 September 2025 to 1 February 2026.
The programme will employ 50 people in each of the municipality’s 35 wards, under the environmental and cultural sector. An extra 200 workers will be funded through the mayoral programme. Each participant will be paid R160 per day for 10 days a month.
Melato said the initiative was designed not only to create temporary jobs but also to give young people certificates to boost their chances of long-term employment.“We must ensure the EPWP benefits the youth and is not simply a rotation scheme,” she said.
The proposal was supported by MMC for Electricity and Infrastructure, Ditaba Nhlapho, who said the additional 200 positions would help the municipality finally meet its target of 2,000 EPWP participants.
“We always fall short at around 1,780. By adding these 200, we can close the gap,” he said.
But opposition voices questioned whether the project was financially sound. Councillor Paratlane Motloung cautioned that it risked looking like the mayor’s “personal project,” while Councillor Chicco Mkwanazi insisted he would only support it if funding was clearly ring-fenced.
Speaker Mandlenkosi Dlamini delivered the harshest warning, highlighting the municipality’s shrinking EPWP budget – which has dropped from R5 million in 2022 to just over R2 million this year. He blamed poor record-keeping and reporting.
“We must produce proper registers, contracts and ID copies for every participant. Without that, grants will keep shrinking,” he said.
Dlamini also lashed out at councillors accused of using the programme for personal gain.“This thing is for the people, not ourselves. No girlfriends, no boyfriends, no relatives,” he said.
“I cannot spy on you, but I am receiving these complaints in my office. In future, no councillors will recruit EPWP workers.”
The Speaker’s remarks underscored growing frustration over political interference in EPWP hiring. Community members have long complained that the programme, designed to provide short-term work opportunities and skills, has been captured by councillors who hand jobs to their supporters and families.
The council resolved to overhaul recruitment processes to guarantee fairness and transparency. Monitoring will be tightened, with the administration – not councillors – handling appointments.
The EPWP has been one of the few consistent job-creation tools in Maluti-a-Phofung, but the sharp decline in funding has heightened tensions over who benefits. With unemployment stubbornly high in the Free State, competition for the limited slots has become fierce – and allegations of favouritism increasingly explosive.
As the new programme approaches its September launch, all eyes will be on whether councillors heed the warning and allow the jobs to go to those most in need.
