Picture: CWP participants embarked on a peaceful protest in Vryburg
By OBAKENG MAJE
The Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) calls on the department to ensure that its internal processes do not negatively affect Community Workers Programme (CWP) workers embarked on strike across the country demanding salaries of April 2023.
The Chairperson of Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Government and Traditional Affairs, Faith Ndenze said this problem has arisen on several previous occasions, whereupon the committee engaged with the Department of Cooperative Governance to understand the underlying challenge.
“For many of these workers, the stipend is their only means of putting food on the table. The department must be cognizant of this and act accordingly. The committee was made to understand that the current CWP operating model is undergoing revision with a view to addressing the underlying challenges.
“One of the key challenges related to outsourcing the program’s implementation to non-profit organisations (NPOs) who were unfamiliar with public sector accounting processes and practices. The department has recently indicated that, as of March 2023, it has temporarily terminated these NPO contracts and has assumed full responsibility for the CWP’s administration and implementation, including payment of stipends,” Ndenze said.
She further said, the department is therefore fully responsible and must account for the alleged non-payment of April 2023 stipends. Ndenze added that, the committee is aware that, the department is still in the process of transitioning to a new political executive and that, there are also new critical changes at the administrative leadership level.
“After having allowed sufficient time for the transition to be finalised, the committee will follow up with the department on commitments previously made to the effect that identified problems will be resolved, including timely payment of CWP stipends,” she said.
Meanwhile, the CWP participants threatened not to vote come 2024 General Elections, if the government does not improve their salaries and working conditions. The CWP participants in North West embarked on a peaceful march and submitted their memorandum of grievances to the ANC regional offices in Vryburg on 1 May 2023.
The CPW shop steward in North West and Maanda Ashu Workers Union (MAWUSA) member, Thandeka Mchunu alleged that the government is using CWP as a form of exploitation against the marginalised.
“We, the CWP participants who are all voters in our respective provinces and wards, demand that the ANC give a political directive to the Minister of Labour to speedily transform the CWP policies. This will allow the realisation of the living wage of the participants as per the memorandum sent to the Department of Labour on 3 February 2023.
“It cannot be accepted anymore for government workers to earn R800 per month in this high-cost economy status of the country. We also want the government to release the Maanda Ashu Workers Union of South Africa (MAWUSA)’s registration certificate, which was declined with no grounds,” Mchunu said.
She further said, the review of the ministerial determination for a lowest-earning beneficiary to be remunerated in line upper bound poverty line of R1800 per month. Mchunu added that, they also want immediate access to the minimum wage of R3500, migration of EPWP/CWP from ministerial determination to sectoral determination, and in-sourcing of CWP participants to full-time employment.
“Participants should work five days per week and 20 days per month. We further demand that, the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) and CWP national management engage with workers through our union to make inputs on any matter affecting the CWP and or workers.
“We call for the release of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and tool of trade (Occupational Health Safety), consistent payment day and monitoring of sites by COGTA and Department of Labour,” she said.
The Guardian 