The Democratic Alliance (DA) in eThekwini has written to the City Manager, Musa Mbhele , following reports of the sudden termination of the Presidential Employment Program (PEP) as of yesterday, 09 October 2023 (view letter here).
The DA has seen a letter detailing that the PEP program will be suspended with immediate effect because there was no longer funding available from the National Government for it to continue. This is despite the city being on record confirming that it had secured approval for three financial years until June 2024. This decision will leave thousands of residents without work, pushing them back into poverty and in a state of desperation.
We have called for answers on the following:
• When did the municipality become aware that there would no longer be funding provided for this program ?
• When was the letter sent to all the affected people/beneficiaries and how was it sent?
• How many people are affected by this sudden suspension of the program?
• What effort/s was made to get an indication from the national government on the availability of funding for this program?
This Programme was introduced in eThekwini in April 2021 and targeted unemployed people in the city which included mostly youth and women. According to the city, more than 8,000 people were to be employed as general workers, team leaders, and ward coordinators in Public Space Management, Environmental Management, Integrated Waste Management, and Informal Settlement Upgrades.
In August 2023, the city announced that the PEP would be managed by 12 non-governmental organizations (NGOs). While some workers were eventually employed under NGOs there have been serious allegations of mistreating employees, underpaying them and the NGO’s pocketing most of the funds. These allegations need to be investigated by the city to ensure that the integrity of this important initiative is safeguarded against wrongdoers and that it works in the best interest of the residents of the city and the city itself.
The sudden suspension of the program unequivocally confirms the poor management, planning, and lack of leadership by the city, it is also a clear indication of a city that does not care.