Contribution of the expanded public works programme to effective and sustainable skills transfer and local economic development: a case study

Abstract

This research aimed to explore the contribution of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) to effective and sustainable skills transfer and local economic development in the City of Ekurhuleni. This report followed a qualitative methodological approach and provided a rich detailed thematic analysis of the data gathered. The report found that public works programmes such as the EPWP and the Vuk’uphile Contractor Learnership Programme made an important contribution to upskilling participants through training and practical experience as well as local economic development through the employment of local labour and the provision of infrastructure within communities. However, it did find that challenges such as the limited number of projects allocated to emerging contractors, the program's structure which failed to account for participants varying skill levels, and the lack of locally skilled labour, as challenges that require the attention of policymakers