Premier Saul launches bold new EPWP training model in Northern Cape

ACCORDING to the Northern Cape provincial government, the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) is undergoing a dramatic transformation — from offering short-term relief to becoming a gateway to lasting empowerment.

Premier Zamani Saul, together with the MEC for Roads and Public Works, Fufe Makatong, this week officially launched the EPWP Academic Empowerment Initiative at the Tol Speelman Community Hall in Upington, describing it as a “bridge to sustainable employment, skills, and entrepreneurship”.

Traditionally criticised as a stopgap programme, the EPWP has now been reimagined to offer far more than temporary work opportunities. The new initiative opens doors for more than 600 participants across all five districts of the province, giving them access to second-chance education, matric completion, digital literacy, and vocational skills training.

Training will be delivered by the Northern Cape Community Education and Training College, which operates 80 satellite campuses and seven computer lab centres under the Department of Higher Education and Training. Importantly, the courses will carry nationally recognised accreditation, addressing both individual growth and the province’s critical skills shortages.

Friday’s launch drew a strong line-up of leaders and stakeholders. Alongside Saul and Makatong were MECs Mase Manopole (Agriculture, Land Reform and Environment), Maruping Lekwene (Health), and Limakatso Koloi (Transport, Safety and Liaison). Also present were representatives from the provincial Department of Education, the South African Local Government Association (Salga), training providers, and community partners, signalling a collaborative approach to development.

'Turning temporary work into permanent empowerment'

Saul linked the programme directly to the province’s 60,000 Jobs Plan for 2025–2029. “For too long, EPWP has been criticised as temporary relief. Today we prove that with innovation and collaboration, it can become a bridge to sustainable employment, skills, and entrepreneurship,” he said.

“This is not just a provincial programme; it is a model of global best practice,” said Makatong. “We are turning temporary work into permanent empowerment.”

The empowerment initiative places particular emphasis on women, young people, and people with disabilities, ensuring that beneficiaries leave with the dignity of education and the tools to participate meaningfully in the Northern Cape economy and beyond.

Besides formal education, the initiative also incorporates entrepreneurial development, with a special focus on inclusion. One highlight is the pioneering New Venture Creation (NVC) Programme for persons with disabilities, which has already supported 25 participants in a 12-month incubation stream.

Other milestones celebrated at the launch included:

• The 25 participants from Disabled People South Africa receiving certificates under the NVC Programme.
• Seven learners completing certificates in End-User Computing, showcasing the programme’s commitment to digital skills.
• Fifteen women contractors under incubation with Great Solutions, powered by the National Home Builders Regulator Council, recognised for their growing role in construction and housing.

Saul said the achievements clearly demonstrate the programme’s impact, showing how EPWP beneficiaries are moving beyond short-term work opportunities into sustainable pathways for education, skills, and entrepreneurship.