Public employment programmes and their contribution to service delivery and rural livelihoods in South Africa.

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.