The Democratic Alliance (DA) has formally requested the Office of the Auditor-General to investigate alleged political interference and possible abuse of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) in Sol Plaatje Municipality.
The DA has identified numerous irregularities in the administration of the programme. Councillors were previously instructed to submit ten names each for EPWP cleaning teams. Certain politically connected wards, however, appear to have received double the amount of workers while opposition wards have only half the initial amount allocated. This raises serious concerns that the programme may be used for political patronage rather than serving its intended public purpose.
Further concerns arise in relation to the almost 600 EPWP workers currently on Sol Plaatje’s books, despite little visible evidence of a workforce of this size operating across Kimberley.
The condition of the city also reflects these concerns.
Despite the municipality’s extensive EPWP workforce, Kimberley remains one of the dirtiest and most neglected cities in the country. Grass and veld along pavements and public footpaths are overgrown and poorly maintained. Thorn bushes obstruct stop signs, grass encroaches onto roads, and overgrown tree branches pose risks to motorists and their vehicles. Rubble from excavations is often left uncleared for extended periods, refuse continues to litter public spaces, and entrances to the city remain unwelcoming, with faded paint and little to no visible beautification efforts.
By contrast, the DA’s self-funded clean-up initiatives, often involving no more than 10 to 20 volunteers, have delivered visibly better results through our grass cutting, tree trimming, and general clean-up operations than the municipality’s substantially larger and longstanding EPWP workforce.
The EPWP programme’s continued failure to deliver results within Sol Plaatje points to what appears to be years of ineffective and potentially questionable administration.
The DA looks forward to a thorough investigation into this matter by the AG.
With hundreds of thousands of jobs lost nationwide in the first quarter of 2026, the EPWP should provide meaningful temporary work opportunities that uplift communities and improve service delivery. The programme must be transparent, fair, and accessible to all qualifying residents, not used as an extension of the ANC’s cadre deployment network.