Johannesburg – Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson has suspended Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) transfers to Matjhabeng Local Municipality.
The minister announced the move on Sunday, 27 July 2025, amid reports that politically connected individuals in Matjhabeng Local Municipality were receiving inflated EPWP salaries.
In a statement made available to The Bulrushes, the department said Minister Macpherson expressed deep concern over the allegations published in a City Press investigation, which reported that the EPWP payroll continues to fund inflated salaries for former councillors and sitting political office bearers.
“These individuals reportedly earn over R31 000 per month – more than 10 times the average EPWP stipend – thereby undermining the very principles of the programme,” said the statement.
The EPWP was established to provide short-term, skills-based work opportunities to unemployed South Africans, not as a vehicle for political patronage.
The statement said Minister Macpherson has therefore instructed the Department of Public Works & Infrastructure to suspend any EPWP transfers to the municipality pending a full investigation.
“The EPWP is an essential lifeline for many in communities across the country, including in Matjhabeng, and it would therefore be wholly unacceptable if any politician or official is found to have used the programme for personal benefit,” Minister Macpherson said.
“‘We simply cannot turn a blind eye when serious allegations of abuse are raised, which is why I have instructed the Department to suspend EPWP fund transfers until a formal investigation can be completed.”
Minister Macpherson added that the allegations further reinforce his view that the EPWP must be reformed to eliminate any possibility of abuse and ensure that intended beneficiaries fully benefit from the programme, free from political interference.
“Through the EPWP Listening Tour conducted nationwide, we have heard several serious allegations of abuse, such as those in Matjhabeng, and it is therefore critical that the programme be strengthened to eliminate any possibility of corruption and political patronage,” the minister said.
“After 20 years, we are committed to reforming the EPWP to ensure it remains a viable platform for empowerment well into the future, as we work to build a better South Africa.”
