Competetition was tough and the stakes were high for twenty-four Kamoso Awards Categories for EPWP Environment and Culture , Infrastructure, Social, and Non-State Sectors. Four Public bodies – KZN Health, KZN Social Development, King Cetshwayo District Municipality and uMsinga Local Municipality scopped two awards each for Best Construction Project, Best Maintenance Project, Best District Municipality, Best Innivative Project, Best Programme, Best Project and Best Local Municipality.
Addressing the gathering, MEC Nkonyeni acknowledged the critical role and the impact registered by EPWP in changing the lives for ordinary communities for the better. She said EPWP continues to improve the lives of the poor by providing wide rane of services and assets such as road infrastructure for better acees to markets, schools and clinics. The MEC further emphasised fairness in the selection and recruitment of EPWP participants stating that, “we must remove corruption in the appointment of EPWP workers and help families to survive hardships they felt under racist regime”. She said it was distressing to hear reports on corruption linked to beneficairy selection and spending and warned that “ corruption will be met with consequences”.
Hon. MEC Mkonyeni presenting MEC Recognition Awards to UGU Municipality and COGTA MEC and officials at the 4th KZN Kamoso Awards
During the awards ceremony, Ugu District Municipality and Ray Nkonyeni Local Municipality received the MEC Recognition Awards for the Best Public Body on EPWP Good Governance and Best Strategy to Achieve Clean Audit. The KZN Department of Agriculture and Rural Development received the MEC Recognition Award for Best Compliant Public Body to Division of Revenue Act (DORA) requirements related to EPWP while COGTA received the MEC Recognition Award for Strategic Partner on EPWP implementation.
MEC Nkonyeni acknowledged the role of government departments, state-owned entities, municipalities, partner organisations in the private sector and NGO’s for “their impact in the implementation of EPWP to advance radical socio-economic transformation in a real and tangible way”. KZN Public Works EPWP implemented projects contributed to 691 work opportunities and 391 full time equivalents with the labour intensity of 99% and the Department was able to utilise R9million out of the total budget of R11 million. The Department was assigned the responsibility by the Provincial Government to coordinate the overall implementation of the EPWP.
