The effectiveness of the expanded public works programme as a poverty alleviation strategy

Abstract

This article examines how the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) enhances food security in South Africa’s City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality (CTMM). The main objective is to investigate the effectiveness of the EPWP on food security and as a poverty alleviation strategy. Documents were analysed to identify major themes that address the research question. The major themes identified are unemployment, food insecurity, human capital challenges and the lack of consistency in policy implementation and execution. The article draws the following conclusions: the EPWP has the potential to alleviate poverty through the provision of stipends. The stipends are an important element in ensuring that beneficiaries’ families are food secure. Moreover, the programme has the potential to improve the beneficiary’s skills and enhance employability. Food security is a multifaceted phenomenon that requires a multi-sectoral approach to addressing complex livelihood challenges and problems. The article recommends that adequate human capital resources must be in place to support the implementation and coordination of the CTMM EPWP. Moreover, the CTMM must consider employing the beneficiaries permanently and explore the untapped sectors such as the green economy. The EPWP is a temporal poverty alleviation strategy, failing to remove people from total poverty; consequently, food insecurity due to lack of continuity. The article is relevant as an intervention strategy for challenges facing the CTMM EPWP mandate on poverty alleviation.