Minister of Public Works Dean Macpherson To Investigate EPWP Sex-for-Jobs Scandal in Umngeni

• The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, announced that his department will investigate sex-for-jobs scandals in the EPWP
• The allegations were made during his visit to the uMngeni Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal to talk to EPWP and CPWP workers
• He slammed those who were allegedly abusing women and demanding sexual favours in return for jobs

Tebogo Mokwena, a dedicated Briefly News current affairs journalist, contributed coverage of international and local social issues like health, corruption, education, unemployment, labour, service delivery protests and heritage in South Africa during his seven years at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News.

UMNGENI, KWAZULU-NATAL—Dean Macpherson, the minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, said he will investigate sexual abuse claims in the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) and Certified Public Works Professional (CPWP) programmes.

Sex-for-jobs in EPWP

According to The Witness, Macpherson heard the damning allegations during a visit to the Umngeni Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal on 11 November 2024. He began his listening tour in the Eastern Cape and will visit other parts of the country. He said that he heard workers claim that they were asked for sexual favours in exchange for employment in the EPWP and CPWP programmes.

Read also

Gayton McKenzie defends salary, promises Joslin Smith Foundation launch

Alleged nepotism in the EPWP

He also noted that some reportedly awarded family members jobs and remarked that when people wanted to apply for a job with the EPWP, they would find more than three members of the same family employed. Macpherson said the source is in local governments. Councillors or ward committees take advantage of the power and make unfair demands.

"I heard that people go to an office for a job and that there are three or four people from one house with jobs while some don't have and we are going to look into that. If we catch an official who is covering up nonsense by councillors or in councillors' offices, that official will lose their job," he added.

338 government buildings hijacked: Macpherson

In a related article, Briefly News reported that Macpherson revealed that 338 out of the 88,000 buildings the government owns are hijacked.

Read also

SAPS to conduct random raids as Gauteng records over 400 food poisoning cases

He also revealed that the government is working on finding more profitable and productive uses for unused and hijacked government buildings.

Source: Briefly News