The Buffalo City Metro’s R45m Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) is under scrutiny amid allegations that access to jobs was politicised, with the municipality confirming a leaked directive ordering a review of part of the programme.
The DA has launched a petition demanding transparency over how EPWP projects were approved, how participants were selected and how public money was spent.
But BCM has rejected allegations that EPWP opportunities were allocated on political grounds, insisting the leaked directive did not amount to a city-wide suspension of the programme.
The directive, dated August 13 and seen by the Daily Dispatch, instructs that EPWP contracts, activities and participant deployments under a section of the municipality cease by August 31 pending a review.
It states that from September 1, no EPWP participant may be deployed, report for duty or render services under the directorate’s EPWP programme unless the deployment is for a project approved by the acting head of the sport, recreation and community development directorate.
“This directive is issued to ensure that the implementation of the EPWP programme is undertaken in accordance with applicable legislation, the EPWP ministerial determination, municipal policies, approved delegations and prescribed administrative and financial control processes.
“It is further intended to mitigate the risk of unauthorised commitments, non-compliance and potential financial and administrative exposure to the municipality,” the letter states.
The directive calls for a comprehensive review covering current projects, participant deployments, contractual arrangements, approvals, deliverables and expenditure.
It said the review was intended to identify deficiencies and strengthen governance and oversight.
The DA said the directive raised questions about the management of a programme intended to provide work opportunities to struggling residents.
DA MPL Leander Kruger said the party had launched its “Open the Books” petition to pressure the municipality to disclose how EPWP opportunities were allocated.
“Residents deserve to know what went wrong, who benefited and where the money went,” he said.
Kruger said the party wanted the municipality to disclose the number of participants appointed per project and ward, expenditure details, whether workers were owed money and the findings of the review.
The DA is also calling for a council investigation into allegations of political interference in the allocation of EPWP opportunities.
“EPWP opportunities are not political favours to be handed out to the connected,” Kruger said.
“They are publicly funded work opportunities intended for residents who desperately need an income and a foothold in the labour market.”
He said allegations that jobs were allocated according to political connections, ward politics or perceived allegiance could not simply be dealt with internally.
“If jobs were allocated on the basis of political connections, ward politics or perceived allegiance rather than fair and transparent criteria, residents have a right to know,” he said.
BCM spokesperson Luzuko Buku confirmed the leaked letter was authentic but rejected the DA’s interpretation of it.
“The leaked letter does not relate to the entire EPWP programme in the city but a portion of the environmental compliance component,” he said.
Buku said the communication was intended to trigger a review of the implementation and compliance framework within the sport, recreation and community development directorate and was not aimed at stopping the entire programme.
The municipality also defended its performance, saying it had exceeded its key performance indicators during the 2025/2026 financial year.
According to Buku, the programme created 4,934 work opportunities against a target of 3,370, achieving 146% of its target.
Full-time equivalent jobs reached 1,986 against a target of 1,312.
BCM said the performance secured an additional R4m incentive grant for the current financial year.
The previous financial year’s EPWP budget was R45m, made up mainly of grants from the national government.
Buku said the municipality remained committed to improving inclusivity, particularly among women, youth and people with disabilities.
Kruger, however, said the review itself made it necessary for the municipality to provide greater transparency.
“Open the books. Publish the facts. Tell residents who got the jobs, how they were selected, what was spent and what the municipality’s own investigation has uncovered.
“Buffalo City residents deserve answers,” he said.
