Workers trapped in poverty

HUNDREDS of community workers who belong to a Community Work Programme (CWP) created by the government to alleviate poverty said the employment programme was keeping them in poverty.

The programme was established in 2009 by the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta).

However, workers who have been part of the programme for 10 years say they had received no training to improve their job skills and only earn R700 per month.

“Things have gone from bad to worse. We haven’t received proper training and we’re not equipped with the skills to do our current jobs. People are trapped in poverty, R700 a month is bad. It’s very sad to see how some people live on it, sometimes it makes you want to cry,” said Larenzo Morris, the CWP spokesperson.

“There is growing frustration because they’re suppose to equip people with formal skills to exit the programme and be placed in employment, but it’s not happening, they’re keeping us in poverty,” said Morris.

He added that the workers met last month to discuss creating a forum, and decided to march to Parliament yesterday with a memorandum containing their demands. These include having accredited training and workshops for workers, and a minimum stipend of R1500 per month.

However, no one met them to accept their memorandum despite their communication with department members.

CWP Western Cape supervisor Naym Daniels said he was aware of the workers’ concerns, and that he had forwarded their complaints to the minister, who he said signed off on the daily wage for the workers.

He said budget constraints prevented the programme from offering much training or increasing the workers’ stipend.

“Workers are protected by the labour law, but CWP employees are not. I understand the need for an increase in their stipend.

“People are in the programme for so long because the unemployment rate is so high.

“We can’t train people each year because of the budget constraints. We trained approximately 120 people in the past financial year,” said Daniels.

He added that the workers were placed in schools, hospitals, clinics and community facilities where they provided help and gained experience.

He said the programme was trying to partner with FET colleges, which may be on the cards.

WE HAVEN’T RECEIVED PROPER TRAINING AND WE’RE NOT EQUIPPED WITH SKILLS TO DO OUR JOBS