DA welcomes probe into alleged power abuse at Bojanala District Municipality

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has welcomed an investigation ordered by the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, over allegations of power abuse at the Bojanala District Municipality.

This comes after media reports revealed that Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP) employees at the municipalities have been forced to perform unsanctioned hard labour and domestic work by senior officials.

It is also reported that the said official also forced these workers to perform hard labour and to pay party-related fees directly to her.

Furthermore, this council member is also accused of ordering about 40 community members to pay R40 each to take up ANC membership shortly after their R1800 EPWP monthly stipends were paid. She also made them work at her home in Lebotlwane, clearing her garden of rubble, cleaning her house and washing windows of her “upstairs” rural homestead (they are meant to be cleaning public schools, parks, roads and pavements).

Reacting to the news, Macpherson stated: “This morning, I requested officials to urgently investigate allegations that EPWP participants in the Bojanala District Municipality were forced to perform domestic work for an MMC and pay political membership fees to their party.”

Macpherson said should the allegations be true, this allegation has the potential to cause serious harm to the country’s progressive labour laws.

“If true, this would represent a serious abuse of power and a betrayal of the purpose of the EPWP, which exists to create dignified, skills-based work opportunities for unemployed South Africans, not to serve personal or political interests. EPWP is too important to too many communities to be abused, which is why we must protect it from misuse,” the minister said.

On Sunday, the DA, reacting to the minister’s direct order, welcomed the minister’s pronouncement, with DA public works spokesperson Bonginkosi Madikizela, saying the party is opposed to the alleged abuse of power by one of the MMMCs belonging to the ANC in the province.

“The Democratic Alliance strongly condemns the shocking abuse of the Expanded Public Works Programme in the Bojanala District Municipality, where workers were allegedly forced to perform domestic work for ANC councillors, pay a portion of their stipends for 'fuel costs', and take up ANC membership to secure work,” Madikizela stated.

Madikizela said no official should be allowed to misuse their power over those who are vulnerable, adding that the minister must take swift action against those responsible for this blatant abuse of power.

“These revelations once again expose how ANC politicians exploit vulnerable citizens and public programmes for their own political and personal gain. The EPWP was established to uplift unemployed South Africans through temporary work and skills development, not to fund ANC membership drives or serve as a source of free labour for politically connected officials.

“We welcome Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson’s swift action to launch an investigation into these allegations. His current “listening tour” across communities is uncovering the full extent of the problem, including disturbing accounts of sexual exploitation in exchange for work opportunities,” Madikizela stated.

Furthermore, the DA has called on the Minister of Corporate Governance and Traditional Affairs, Velenkosini Hlabisa, to take immediate action.

“The DA unequivocally condemns this conduct by ANC leaders who treat South Africans as political pawns. At the municipal level, we call on Minister Hlabisa to take immediate action to clean up this rot and protect workers from further exploitation,” he said.