MINISTRY
PUBLIC WORKS
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
Department of Public Works l Central Government Offices l 256 Madiba Street
l Pretoria l Contact: +27 (0)12 406 2034 l +27 (0)12 406 1224
Private Bag X9155 l CAPE TOWN, 8001 l RSA 4th Floor Parliament Building l
120 Plain Street l CAPE TOWN l Tel: +27 21 468 6900 Fax: +27 21 462 4592
www.publicworks.gov.za
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NUMBER: 2035 [NW2445E]
INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: No. 27 of 2013
DATE OF PUBLICATION: 16 AUGUST 2013
DATE OF REPLY: 19 SEPTEMBER 2013
Mr K P Sithole (IFP) asked the Minister of Public Works:
(1) Whether his department is planning to increase the salaries of
persons who are employed according to the Zibambele Model; if not, why
not; if so, by what date;
(2) (a) by what date will his department have filled 88 out of the 219
vacant and unfunded core positions and (b) what are the reasons for
the delay? NW2445E
Reply:
The Minister of Public Works:
(1) Stipends for the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) are governed
by the Ministerial Determination of 4 May 2012, which prescribes
annual increases that take effect on the 1st of November of each year.
It should be noted that EPWP programmes are implemented in the main by
provincial and local government bodies. As the department that is
responsible for the overall coordination of the EPWP, the National
Department of Public Works communicates with implementing bodies to
make them aware of the obligation to increase stipends by November of
each year for workers employed under EPWP, including those under the
Zibambele Model in line with inflation, as per the Ministerial
Determination.
(2) (a) The 88 technical and professional services positions were
advertised in the media with the closing date of 26 April 2013. Short-
listing for all the positions has been concluded. Offers of employment
have been made in respect of 37 positions. 23 offers of employment
have been accepted and the persons shall assume duty shortly in the
coming few weeks.
The Department could not find suitable candidates during the short-
listing and interview process for 32 positions. The positions that
could not be filled through the normal processes of advertising are
targeted for filling through pro-active skills searches and head-
hunting.
(b) The delays in the filling of the positions are due to the fact
that the positions are in highly technical areas for which skills
availability is scarce, thus posing a challenge of attracting the right
people. The head-hunting process is underway and is scheduled to be
concluded by 30 November 2013.