The Limpopo Department of Roads and Transport handed over the Household-Based Routine Maintenance Project to Musina Municipality on Monday.

The R16,5 million expanded public works programme (EPWP) initiative will benefit 600 unemployed people, mostly from child- and women-headed families. The beneficiaries will work three days in a week on the 12-month contract.

The programme is one of Government's array of programmes aimed at providing poverty and income relief through contract work for the unemployed to carry out socially useful activities. It was launched in April 2004 to promote economic growth and create sustainable development.

The work to be carried out includes bush clearing and grass cutting along the roads and patching tar roads. Of the 600 beneficiaries, 30 have been identified as a team. The selection process of the beneficiaries was solely in the hands of ward councillors and their ward committees and it was done during the municipality’s consultative processes in all six wards.

When handing over the project, Mr Matome Moremi from the Department of Roads and Transport said the initiative was part of the government’s way of providing jobs and skills for indigent community members. “We are serious about taking our people out of the bondage of poverty. As a responsible government, we cannot just watch while our people do not have jobs. We will do our best to make sure that all South Africans enjoy the fruits of our hard-earned freedom.”

Moremi said the workers would be provided with tools and two sets of uniforms. “We are ready to kickstart the project and we have already finalized everything with the contractor, Vhashumi General Dealers. We have no doubt that this project will play a meaningful role in uplifting the standard of life of our people.”

Mayor Carol Phiri was on cloud nine during the occasion. “This is a true reflection of what service delivery is all about. We will continue to make sure that our people are being taken care of because they deserve it. This project will go a long way in realizing one of the government’s priorities of creating job opportunities to our masses. The initiative will also assist in reducing the number of accidents on our roads.”