Minister says EPWP model could help uplift SADC communities

Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana today urged Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries to consider using South Africa’s model of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) as part of a fight to stave off the poverty exacerbated by the current global economic crisis.

In an opening address of the five-day meeting of SADC Labour and Employment Ministers and their social partners in Cape Town, Minister Mdladlana said the current global economic crisis was already having adverse effects on the economies of SADC society, resulting unprecedented job losses and slow growth rates.

He said the government’s regular poverty intervention programme assessments indicated the state had in some instances exceeded targets it had set itself, with the EPWP proving to be one of the most successful programmes – having created 950 000 temporary work opportunities absorbing 48 percent of female and 37 percent young people.

“As we all know SADC has a chronic challenge of high unemployment among our youth. One of the crucial sectors in this EPWP is the social sector which has the potential to employ large numbers of people in areas of home-based care and early childhood development,” he said.

The gathering forms part of SADC’s Employment and Labour Sector (ELS) which strives to improve the living standards of the region’s populace through an integrated pooling of resources to achieve self reliance particularly in alleviating poverty.

Meanwhile, Minister Mdladlana will, immediately at the end of the summit resume his busy schedule and address the fishing community of Strand in the Western Cape next Monday.

The meeting takes place at 31 de Kok Street and is scheduled for 10:00. The media is invited.