Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi recently addressed the confusion surrounding employment contracts for the jobs-drive initiative in a late-night meeting with directors-general and heads of departments. This came after a clash in communication from the provincial government regarding the employment status of thousands of expanded public works programme (EPWP) “green army” workers.
Lesufi shared a picture of a letter informing EPWP employees that their contracts were ending, signed under the name of acting head of the agriculture, rural development, and environment department. However, he assured the workers that they remained employed and stated that he would resolve the issue with department heads.
The “green army” initiative, launched under the EPWP last May, aimed at waste management and food security in Gauteng as part of Lesufi’s jobs drive. With over 6,000 people employed, Lesufi emphasized that he had a plan in place for workers whose contracts had expired, highlighting the proactive approach taken by the government towards managing contract renewals.