Minister to probe Makhuduthamaga “jobs-for-ANC-members” scandal
JANE FURSE – The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Sekhukhune has welcomed the intervention by Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Dean Macpherson, into allegations of a “jobs-for-ANC-members” programme in the Makhuduthamaga Local Municipality (MLM).
The allegations to the minister’s office were brought to light by Councillor Ledile Laka, the sole DA councillor in the Makhuduthamaga Municipality, who has been vocal about the issue.
According to the DA, the alleged MLM “jobs-for-ANC-members” programme appears to be exploiting the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) opportunities, meant for the unemployed, as rewards for ANC members.
“The era of ANC cadre deployment must come to an end. The DA, together with Minister Macpherson, aims to hold municipalities accountable for such practices. EPWP opportunities are intended to serve as a lifeline for the unemployed, not as rewards for ANC card-carrying members,” said Nico Pienaar, DA Political Head for Sekhukhune.
Pienaar added that the party is calling on residents to report any instances of political interference or exploitation of government processes. “DA councillors stand as the vanguard for the poor and unemployed,” stated Pienaar.
The DA attributes the alleged scandal to the need for more DA councillors in municipalities to root out corruption and restore integrity.
“We continue to fight relentlessly for fairness and equal opportunity for all residents. DA councillors stand as the vanguard for the poor and unemployed. This is precisely why it is critical to elect more DA councillors in the upcoming local government elections to root out corruption and restore integrity in municipalities across Limpopo,” Pienaar said.
Thomas Mashabela, MLM Spokesperson, said the municipality was not formally informed of any investigations conducted by any department or agency regarding job recruitment. “We are just learning about the supposed probes in the media space,” he said.
Mashabela dismisses claims of politically-motivated employment in the municipality.
“When recruiting members of the public, the municipality utilizes fair and transparent human resource practices to ensure the inclusive participation of women, men, youth, and individuals with disabilities from various backgrounds in the EPWP programme,” he said.
Mashabela informed that the EPWP vacant spaces in question, were widely advertised to the public and all municipal stakeholders last month, and remain open until 30 April 2026, for interested candidates to apply.
“We receive a high amount of applications on a daily basis, reflecting our effective efforts to ensure that all citizens receive equitable information about opportunities,” Mashabela explained.
According to Mashabela, the municipality created over 220 temporary job opportunities during current financial year, 2025/2026, through the EPWP programme in various sectors, including waste management and infrastructure maintenance.
“We are reaching all of our EPWP targets and reporting on a regular basis to various intergovernmental structures. To ensure we create internal capacity and provide skill development opportunities to our participants, 25 community members are enrolled in the Building and Civil Construction (NQF Level 3) programme with Sekhukhune TVET College as part of the EPWP programme,” he said.
Mashabela stated that in the previous years, 80 more participants received First Aid Kit Level 1 training to increase our safety precautions and add new skills to the teams.
