South Africa - Durban - 04 May 2026 - Public Works minister Dean Macpherson laun Nearly 9,000 employees of the Expanded Public Works Programme in eThekwini face uncertainty as funding is frozen due to allegations of mismanagement and irregular payments.
Nearly 9000 employees of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) in eThekwini find their livelihoods hanging in the balance following a funding freeze by the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure.
The halt, which affects funding worth approximately R8.517 million earmarked for the city’s EPWP initiatives, stems from alarming findings by the Auditor-General regarding irregular payments and questionable beneficiaries within the municipality’s payroll system.
The freeze was triggered by issues highlighted in Auditor-General reports, which pointed to unverified workers and instances of ghost beneficiaries, raising serious concerns about the management of public resources.
The department had previously issued an ultimatum directing the municipality to rectify the identified shortcomings by June 1, warning that failure to do so would result in the immediate suspension of financial contributions.
