Durban – Umzinyathi District Municipality has been hailed for creating sustainable jobs for workers who left the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP).
The district municipality which incorporates Greytown, Dundee as well as rural villages of Msinga and Nquthu scooped the EPWP Best Innovative Award at the ceremony that was held in Durban at the weekend.
The ward dubbed EPWP Kamoso (future), is annually held to recognise the municipalities and non-profit organisations for their role in assisting communities to sustain their livelihoods.
Umzinyathi was hailed for ensuring that workers who had left the programme were trained and skilled to continue earning a living.
After receiving the award, mayor Petros Ngubane said his municipality was concerned about the plight of the people who left the programme after a year who were struggling to find jobs to sustain themselves and support their families.
He said he and his team had to develop a strategy and came up with a plan that the workers must be trained and skilled in various fields.
Ngubane said his municipality trained women in sewing and bought them machines to start their businesses.
He said some were trained in carpentry and now running their furniture businesses.
“We are excited to be honoured for the innovative ways we developed to assist our communities.
“The award means a lot to us and it encourages us to come up with more innovative ways because it means we are on track,” said the mayor.
This year was the 5th edition of the awards.
Human Settlement and Public Works spokesperson Mlungisi Khumalo said the awards were established to honour and reward public bodies and non-state organisations for excelling in terms of implementing the EPWP.
He added that the ceremony returned after a two-year absence due to stringent Covid-19 regulations.
He said these entities were recognised for providing possibilities for short to long-term public employment in various respective trades and occupations.
“We are happy that the awards are fast becoming a nationally acclaimed arena of excellence and an occasion where the EPWP draws a sharp focus on the urgent need to create sustainable livelihoods through the provision of employment.
“The awards are an embodiment of the department’s goal which fashions itself as a key driver of rewarding partisans of progress, who have intentionally adopted a mandate of creating a tomorrow filled with opportunities,” said Khumalo.
Ugu, Umdoni, Ray Nkonyeni, Amajuba and eThekwini municipalities also received awards for clean audits.
Daily News