Conclusions 88 

Conclusions are presented according to the themes that attempted to answer the WHAT, WHY and HOW questions, skills and training, employment and project successes and failures

6.2.1 Skills and training

During the implementation of the project, training was provided but it was inadequate. The training was not accredited and no certificates were issued. The beneficiaries do not recognise the training provided to them however they recognised the supervision, mentoring and transfer of skills that took place. The skills and the continuous learning provided to them such as office administration work and planting will assist them with subsistence farming and running small businesses they might open in the future. The selection criteria used to send beneficiaries for training was inconsistent and favourable to others. The findings from the interviews conducted indicate that the sector does not enforce the implementing agent to stipulate on the business plan the number of trainings to be conducted and adhere thereto. This provides a loophole for project implementers to state the amount required for training and ultimately not carry out any accredited training.

At policy level, the sector needs to provide standard training guidelines for all the sector’s projects. The sectors’ lead department’s management admitted that training of beneficiaries has not been carried out as planned. The focus has been mainly on the achievement of the set FTEs and work opportunities targets. Training is not amongst the main indicators therefore there has not been any efficient monitoring of training of beneficiaries in the sector. There is no indication linking the skills provision of the project to the future employment of the beneficiaries. The findings indicate that the training provided in the project will not assist beneficiaries to be employable in the future as they did not receive credit bearing and accredited training. It would be difficult for beneficiaries to produce evidence of training provided if they do not have certificates to produce as form of evidence.

6.2.2 Employment

The sector was able to achieve 53% its FTEs and work opportunities target. The numbers reported could also not be a true reflection of what has been achieved due to new reporting problems in phase II. According to the findings, the selection of participants was clouded with nepotism. The cooperatives were related to some of the beneficiaries who were given higher positions in the project. The recruitment of participants should be linked to their interest of agriculture sector. The participants selected who do not have interest in the agriculture sector end up leaving me programme midway. Wages paid to participants varied. The difference in wages was not based on the duties therefore participants deemed it to be based on favouritism.

The findings indicate that beneficiaries believe that the sector contributes towards the reduction of unemployment, being only temporarily. It is not the objective of EPWP to create long term employment opportunities, the short term objective of EPWP is to create short term

employment opportunities and their long term objective is the provision of training to render the beneficiaries employable after exiting the projects. From the findings, the sector has made progress in achieving their short term objectives and less progress on their long term objectives. Though the sector could not achieve 100% of its employment creation target, there was steady increase in the FTEs and work opportunities in between phase II financial years which lead to the sector achieving above 50% of their targets. The agricultural support programme is able to make a significant difference as participants are able to continue with subsistence farming and open stalls to sell vegetables, something that beneficiaries of the Winterveldt food gardening and capacity building projectintend to carry on with. The length of the project was very short (5 months) to notice any significant contribution to unemployment. The project provided income relief to beneficiaries. Business tech (2015) indicates that EPWP has been introduced and implemented during tough economic climate, recession has hit most parts of the world during recent years. With South Africa’s high unemployment rate and the recession, EPWP could only employ a limited number of people.

6.2.3 The sector’s successes and challenges

TheWinterveldt food gardening and capacity building project was able to exceed the code of good practice targets. The project exceeded the 20% target of employing local community members and exceeded the 2% target of people with disabilities with 71%.

At national level, the cost of creating FTE and work opportunity has significantly been reduced and wages of beneficiaries improved. The performance of the sector has been able to attract more incentives for the sector. The lead department has not been emphasising the need to have uniform institutional arrangements in provincial departments and municipalities, they are therefore the only one with proper institutional arrangements whilst their supporting structures do not have proper structures. There is lack of EPWP guidelines’ enforcement by the lead department. The funds allocated for EPWP projects at municipalities are not utilised and prioritised to fund EPWP projects after they are have been handed over to them. The funds should be monitored and national departments should ensure that projects handed to

municipalities are funded accordingly. The lead department has few guidelines on

implementation and leaves major decisions to be taken by the implementing agents, specific guidelines on personal protective equipment and standard wages should be developed which will be applicable across all EPWP sectors. Though there is an incentive manual, implementing agents do not apply it in the same way.

At project level, the project got a five year lease to a two hectare site. The project was able to cultivate the two hectares but only planted on hectare due to the project been cut shot. The project was not able to realise its full potential. Funding has been a challenge in the project. The findings indicate that the project could not continue due to funding problems. The lead

department did not follow up to ensure that the Tshwane municipality carried over the project.