​On Wednesday, 02 July 2025, the Gauteng Department of Social Development conducted an Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) joint on site visit at AfrikaTikkun- Arekopaneng in Orange Farm, Southern Corridor.

The purpose of the visit was to showcase the Department’s interventions through joint partnerships, to create job opportunities in the province, reduce the high unemployment rate, alleviate poverty, and document the experiences of beneficiaries whose lives have been impacted by the EPWP.

 
These personal testimonies are intended to inspire unemployed youth and adults, guiding them to make informed decisions about their education and career paths. The programme also encourages learners to select subjects in high school that align with their chosen careers, making it easier for them to meet university and college entry requirements.

 
Social Development is the lead department in the EPWP Social Sector and has been responsible for championing the programme in the province since April 2021. Part of its mandate includes reporting on the progress of onsite participants, as well as monitoring the performance of departments and the social sector at large.


EPWP is one of government’s key short-to medium-term strategies to combat unemployment and poverty. It creates work opportunities for semi-skilled and unskilled individuals using labour-intensive methods, encouraging youth and other targeted groups to seize opportunities that improve their livelihoods and promote economic sustainability.


Addressing the visiting team from various departments, Seipati Motlabane, a Social Work Manager for EPWP, emphasized the importance of empowering beneficiaries with skills they can use beyond the programme.


“EPWP is a key government initiative aimed at accelerating service delivery through partnerships with non-governmental organisations (NPOs). We have a responsibility to equip our beneficiaries with skills that enable them to support themselves and uplift their families when they leave the programme. This is why we have all these stakeholders present, to showcase the integration of government services,” Motlabane said.


Various stakeholders used the platform to share information about their services, Vusi Mazibuko from the Department of Employment and Labour encouraged beneficiaries to broaden their job search beyond Gauteng.

 
“We are prepared to support you, but you must change your mind set about expecting everything to be handed to you. Go out there, seek information, visit labour centres in your area, volunteer while waiting for employment, and be patient. Start somewhere,” he said.

 
One success story is that of 31-year-old Nelisiwe Sibeko, a former EPWP beneficiary who is now the Principal of the Early Childhood Development Centre at Afrika Tikkun – Arekopaneng.


Sibeko shared that she began her journey in 2015 as an EPWP beneficiary undergoing work-readiness training, which included computerskills, workplace professionalism, and personal mastery.


In 2017, she was employed as an ECD teacher at the centre, never imagining she would one day rise to the role of Principal, an opportunity she holds in high regard.