Public Employment Programmes and Development of Human Capacity for Disadvantaged Women and Youth: The Case of the Expanded Public Works Programme in S. Africa

Abstract

Public employment programmes or public works programme are old programmes that have been used during a crisis such as drought,  economic downturn, war and off-food insecurity, as well as unemployment, to provide a cushion to the poor and unemployed. After a  long battle with unemployment—which is linked to the colonial and apartheid eras, laws, as well as the industrialisation of the country —South Africa introduced the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) in 2004 to provide temporary employment opportunities to the  poor and unskilled. This paper used a mixed method approach to analyse the role of the EPWP, a PEP on capacity development for  disadvantaged women and youth. The methodology consisted of a survey, semi-structured interviews and literature review. Primary data  was collected in two (2)—out of five (5)—districts of the Northern Cape Province, where 128 EPWP participants and 14 EPWP officials from  Kimberley townships (Greenpoint, Veregenoerg and Roodepan) and Joe Morolong Local Municipality (Gamothibi and Glenred  villages). The analysis of this data involved a two-step approach through which data from surveys was analysed using graphs and tables.  Dominant issues identified were followed with semi-structured interviews on a smaller sample size, and EPWP reports were used to  substantiate these findings. This data was then presented in thematic form. This paper reveals the complexity of the unemployment challenge, which is beyond the scope of the short-term crisis relief approach of the EPWP, therefore, making two proposals that will  change the narrative with which these programmes are conceptualized. Firstly, is the need for a change in the manner in which skills  development is implemented by moving away from project-based skills development to a more labour market response approach.  Secondly, is the need for public-private partnerships to share the burden of fiscal constraints in skills development to enable labour  market transition.