Public employment programmes and their contribution to service delivery and rural livelihoods in South Africa.
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Date
2023
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Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT
Public Employment Programmes (PEPs) are considered an important and widespread social
protection tool to address the challenges of persistent unemployment and dire poverty. They
provide a ‘win-win’ policy option through job creation, while ensuring that assets are created
and services are delivered. In South Africa, the government implements the Expanded Public
Works Programme (EPWP), a countrywide PEP initiative which aims to provide job
opportunities and income transfer to unemployed people through productive work in the
delivery of community services and the creation of public assets, and thereby contributing to
community development. This is similar to PEPs elsewhere in the world. The impact of PEPs
in South Africa has mostly been measured based on their contributions to employment
opportunities. However, this creates a gap in the holistic measurement of the EPWP, as its
contribution to service delivery and asset creation by which people sustain their livelihoods is
not given as much attention. This study's objective was to evaluate and critically assess the role
of PEPs and their contribution to service delivery and rural livelihoods in South Africa.
A qualitative research method was adopted, using both the purposive and snowball sampling
strategies. Program Theory Evaluation (PTE) and the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework were
applied as the underpinning theoretical frameworks for this investigation. The study found that
the EPWP has positively contributed to service delivery and improvement in rural livelihoods
in South Africa. This was revealed by the three categories of research participants representing
EPWP workers, community informants, and government officials who are part of and play a
role in programme coordination and implementation. However, the study also revealed
challenges facing the programme. These include the flouting of some regulations governing the
programme, such as the payment of participants below the minimum wage rate, interference in
the recruitment of job-seekers, lack of proper planning, and inadequate human resources to
coordinate the programme from the EPWP implementing bodies. Furthermore, the study noted
the struggle to achieve the youth target by the programme, despite the soaring South Africa's
rate of youth unemployment.
On the basis of these findings, the study makes key recommendations to be considered in
addressing these challenges. They include the introduction of a national EPWP policy with
enforcement mechanisms, an improvement in the capacity of public bodies to coordinate and
implement the programme, the introduction of youth-focused programmes, and scaling up the
existing programmes. Finally, the study recommends that the government reconsider and re evaluate the EPWP in light of the current prevailing conditions of unemployment.
isiZULU ABSTRACT
Uhlelo Lwezemisebenzi Yomphakathi seluthathwa njengethuluzi elibaluleke kakhulu futhi
eselisetshenziswa ezindaweni eziningi ukuvikele inhlalakahle yomphakathi kanye
nokubhekana nezinselelo zamazinga aphezulu okwentuleka kwemisebenzi nobubha. Loluhlelo
lukhobisa impumelelo nhlangothi zonke kwinqubo mgomo, ngoba ngesikhathi luletha
amathuba emisebenzi lubuye futhi lufeze izidingo zokwethulwa kosizo kanye nengqalazisinda
emphakathini. ENingizumu Afrika, uHulumeni wethula Uhlele Lwezemisebenzi Yemiphakathi
Olwengeziwe njengohlelo lukazwelonke oluhlose ukuletha amathuba emisebenzi yethutshana
kulabo abangasebenzi bese bethola imadlana ewumholo ekulethweni kwengqalasizinda kanye
nosizo emphakathini oluholela okuthuthukeni kwemiphakathi. Loluhlelo lwaseNingizumu
Afrika luyafana nezinye izinhlelo eziwuloluhlobo ezithulwa kwamanye amazwe. Imiphumela
yezinhlelo ezinje eNingizumu Afrika ihlezi icutshungulwa futhi ikalwa kakhulu
ngasohlangothini lokulethwa kwamathuba emisebenzi, okwenza kube nesikhewu esivulekayo
ekukalweni ngokuphelele kwemiphumela namagalelo aloluHlelo izimpilweni kanye
nasenhlalweni yemiphakathi, nokuthi leyongqalasizinda elethwe uHulumeni ngaphansi
kwaloluHlelo iyithuthukisa kanjani imiphakathi. Inhloso yalolucwaningo
ukubhekangokujulile, uhluze, ucubungule indima edlalwa yiloluhle lukaHulumeni kanye
namagalelo alo ekulethweni kwezinsiza kanye nengqalasizinda emphakathi yesemakhaya
nakwinhlalo mpilo yawo umphakathi kwizwe lonke lase eNingizumu Afrika.
Lolucwaningo luhlonze indlela yekhwalithethivu njengendlela oluzoqhutshwa ngayo, luphinde
lusebenzisa ngofunayo iphaphosivu kanye nesinobholi njengamasu namaqhinga ukuhlonza
labo abazoba yingxeye yalo. Lube seluqoka injulalwazi yokubheka nokucwaningwa
kwezinhlelo kanye nohlaka ulubhekele ukuthuthukiswa kwezimo zempilo oluqhubekayo
njengezinjulalwazi eziwumgogoda walolucwaningo. Ucwaningoke lubeseluveza ukuthi Uhlele
Lwezemisebenzi Yemiphakathi Olwengeziwe lube nemiphumela emihle ekulethweni
kwezidingo, iqhlalisizinda Kanye nokwenzancono inhlalompilo yabantu basemakhaya
eNingizimu Afrika. Lokho kuvezwe izigaba zontathu zalabo abebebambe iqhaza
kulolucwaningo kusukela kwisebenzi zalo belu loluhlelo, izisebenzi zikahulumeni ezengamele
loluhlelo kanye namalunga ophakathi aqavile. Kusenjalo, ucwaningo luphinde lwaveza
izingqinamba ezibhekene naloluhlelo okubalwa phezukwezinye: ukungalandelwa kwemigomo
ulawula loluhlehle ikakhulukazi uma kuqashwa abantu okumele bazosebenza,
nokungakhokhwa kwamaholo njengalokhu umthetho ubekile; lubuye lwaveza futhi ukuthi
akukho ukuhlelwa kahle okulandelayo izinhlaka ezihambisa loluhlelo, futhi zona lezizinhlaka
azinabo abantu abanele ukulwethula loluhlelo ngendlela efanele. Ucwaningo luphinde lwaveza
inselelo loluhlelo ebhekene nayo yokungakwazi ukufinyelela ezibalweni ezibekiwe zokuqasha
abantu abasha phezu kwezinga eliphezulu kakhula eNingizimu Afrika lokwentuleka
kwemisebenzi kubantu abasha.
Uma sekulandelwa, kubhekwa imiphumela yalolucwaningo, umcwaningi wethula
leziziphakamiso ekusizeni ezindwani lapho izinselelo sivezwekhona. Leziziphakamiso zifaka
ngaphezukokunye ukwethulwa komgomo kazwelonke obhekelele loluhlelo ozoba nezindlela
namandla wokuthi labo abasemagunyeni bangenelele uma kukhona okungahambi kahle;
kuphinde kuthuthukiswe inani labantu kanye nezinsiza ekwethuleni loluhlelo ezinhlakeni zonke
zikahulumeni ezibambe iqhaza kuloluhlelo; ucwaningi luphinde luphakamise ukuthi izinhlelo
eziqonde ngqo kubantu abasha zibekwe eqhulwini zethulwe, bese kuthi lezi ezikhona
zikhushulwe uma kuya kwinani labantu ukumele maqashwe. Ekugcineni ucwaningo
luphakamisa ukuthi uHulumeni aphinde alubukisise kabanzi loluhle ngenjongo yokuliyamanisa
nesikhathi isiphila kuso kanye nezinselelo ezikhona esikhathini samanje uma uqhathanisa
neminyaka esondele emashumini amabili lwasungulwa loluhlelo.
Description
Doctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.