Public Works Community Based Public Works Programme: briefing

Meeting report

PUBLIC WORKS PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
3 September 2003
PUBLIC WORKS COMMUNITY BASED PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME: BRIEFING

Chairperson: Chief E Hlengwa

Documents handed out:
Community Based Public Works Programme

SUMMARY
The Committee was briefed on a number of community-based projects funded by the Department. Projects included building of trading stalls, and taxi ranks, which were aimed at alleviating poverty and creating jobs. This was carried out in conjunction with municipalities, who identified their preferred projects to the department.

Discussion
Ms. T L P Nwamitwa-Shilubana (ANC) asked if funds were given directly to municipalities, or whether the department made the payments directly to enterprises.

Mr N E Magubane (ANC) complained that the Public Works department was not "visible". He blamed the department for building "white elephants", which he charged were not being used by communities as they had not been consulted about the area and place they were built. He cited vendors and taxies drivers in particular.

Mr. S N Nxumalo (ANC) asked what criteria the department used to allocate funds for projects.

Mr. More (Chief Director Community Public Works Programme) in his response said areas identified for funding were those with high poverty levels. Indexes on poverty levels were used to measure poverty. The municipalities had to select projects in line with their Integrated Development Plans and explain how they were going to sustain the projects in future, before funds were released.

Mr. More admitted that there were weaknesses in the awarding system of his department, as well as the municipalities themselves. He agreed that vendors and taxi drivers in some towns refused to move to the newly erected structures saying they would not make business there. While municipalities failed to consult such stakeholders in some cases, in other cases stakeholders conceded to the new establishments but later refused to move to them.

Mr. J P I Blanche (FA) said there was a need to identify projects between departments.

Mr. S N Opperman (DA) said that the Western Cape had not benefited from the scheme.

Mr. More (Chief Director Community Public Works Programme) said Clean & Green NGO was busy with a number of developmental projects in the Western Cape, citing budgetary constraints as the reason for the Province not benefiting much from the scheme. The Western Cape, Gauteng and Northern Cape had not received funding for the Community Based Public Works Programme. Despite this, funds had been allocated to Wellington in Western Cape.

The meeting was adjourned.