DA questions jobs promise

2005-01-30 18:13

Johannesburg - The Democratic Alliance has asked what progress has been made in the government's commitment to create a million jobs through the Expanded Public Works Programme, promised by the African National Congress in last year's election campaign.

The opposition party said on Sunday that although President Thabo Mbeki announced the programme in October 2003, it had still not taken off and the government had not yet appointed a deputy director to lead it.

"In many provinces and municipalities no jobs have been created under this programme despite the fact that a number of senior appointments were made in the minister's office in July last year at a total salary budget of R5m a year," said Sakkie Blanche, DA spokesperson on the programme.

The department of public works could not immediately be reached for comment.

The DA's statement came on the eve of its visit to the public works headquarters and to all nine provinces in the coming week.

"We will seek answers to the ANC's failure to appoint a deputy director in charge of the programme and its failure to launch the programme properly in most areas of the country," said Blanche.

"We will also put on the table some concrete ideas about how our country's employment problem can be tackled."

- SAPA