Purpose of the sub-programme
The Provincial Roads Sub-programme aimed to help the
EPWP Roads Programme to achieve its goals.
Work undertaken
The Provincial Roads sub-programme emerged as a
result of two factors:
- An assignment had been undertaken through the Strategic
Technical Assistance Fund which analysed the Municipal and
Provincial Infrastructure Grants (MIG and PIG) to see how they
fitted into the EPWP. Emerging from this analysis, the need and
appropriateness of local access roads for labour intensive projects
was identified.
- It became clear in the Public Sector Sub-Programme that working
with Provincial Departments in the same way as Municipalities was
not effective and that a key area to significantly expand Provincial
EPWP activity was to increase labour intensive maintenance
programmes. These programmes had been piloted in two Provinces and
it was felt that what was needed was dedicated funding.
Accordingly during 2006 and 2007 the Support
Programme continued to engage with the initial two Provinces but at
the same time supported the EPWP Unit to submit a motivation to
National Treasury to approve a R3 billion Roads Upscaling Grant to be
called the ‘Provincial Roads Project’.
In 2008 this grant was approved and the Support
Programme then worked with the EPWP Unit to determine how Provinces
should be supported to access the grant. This resulted in a manual
setting out the types of programme models which could be used to
delivery labour intensive roads maintenance programmes. In addition
the EPWP Unit established a dedicated directorate aimed at assisting
Provinces to access the grant. The Support Programme supported the
directorate to develop implementing methodologies and procedures. This
programme is now a permanent component of work being undertaken by the
EPWP Unit through a dedicated directorate.
Achievements
As a result of the motivation to National Treasury,
an additional allocation of R3 billion was made available to Provinces
for labour intensive roads projects (the EPWP Roads Programme). The
Support Programme worked with the EPWP Unit and Provinces to develop
the methodology of how this programme should be implemented.
Lessons learnt
The most important learning’s from this process
suggested that what Provincial Departments need assistance with is:
- Identifying the opportunities to increase labour intensity
- In some cases technical support in developing the programme
plans and budgets
Most importantly however, Provinces needed
assistance in ensuring that they capture data from the programmes and
consistently report it to the EPWP Unit and comply with the
obligations of the Incentive Grant requirements.
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