ActionSA slams MLM for “Recycling Poverty with EPWP Programme”
JANE FURSE – The people of Makhuduthamaga Local Municipality (MLM) are being “recycled into poverty” by their local municipality, according to ActionSA Treasurer in Limpopo, Tonic Manchidi.
The party has slammed the municipality’s use of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) as a solution to unemployment and infrastructure challenges, calling it a “temporary relief measure” that offers no security or stability.
The municipality has recently advertised EPWP posts, which has sparked outrage among residents who feel that the programme is being used as a cheap labour system.
Manchidi condemned the practice, stating that permanent positions within the municipality are reserved for politically connected individuals, friends, and family members of those in power, while ordinary residents are forced to fight over short-term EPWP opportunities.
“We reject the municipality’s statement as misleading, self-congratulatory, and disconnected from the lived reality of our people. EPWP is not empowerment, it’s a temporary relief measure. It offers short-term contracts with no security, no stability, and no guaranteed future,” he said.
Manchidi said the party has noted that the EPWP programme is actually nothing but institutionalized inequality and blatant nepotism.
“We are tired of a system that gives our people hope with one hand and takes it away with the other. EPWP is being abused to keep our people in permanent poverty while a connected few secure permanent jobs,” he said.
The provincial treasurer said ActionSA is calling on the municipality to open up permanent employment opportunities in a fair and transparent manner, publicly disclose recruitment processes, create a clear absorption plan for EPWP workers into permanent roles, and stop using EPWP as a cheap labour system.
“You cannot build a dignified society on temporary jobs. Our people want stability, they want to provide for their families, and they want fair access to opportunities, not favouritism,” he said.
The party’s demands come as unemployment remains high and inequality deepens in Makhuduthamaga.
ActionSA accuses the municipality of insulting the intelligence and dignity of the people by using EPWP as a flagship programme.
“We stand firmly with the residents who are demanding real jobs, equal opportunity, and an end to corruption in hiring practices. Enough is enough. We are calling on the municipality to stop prioritizing friends and family in permanent posts while the majority are treated as disposable labour. This must come to an end,” Manchidi urged.
The municipality’s use of EPWP has been widely criticized for perpetuating a cycle of poverty and inequality.
ActionSA’s call to action has sparked a renewed debate about the effectiveness of the programme and the need for real job creation in Makhuduthamaga.
As the people of Makhuduthamaga continue to struggle with unemployment and poverty, ActionSA is urging the municipality to take immediate action to address these issues. The party’s stance has resonated with many residents who are desperate for change.
