Amid rising unemployment, KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nlanhla Mkhwanzi, publicly spoke out against the current outsourcing model. He argues that the tendering system fosters corruption and crime, leaving local communities without jobs.
Nevertheless, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) emphasizes that the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) actively engages local labor in projects aimed at combating cycles of poverty.
According to the latest Labour Force Survey from Statistics South Africa, the official unemployment rate in South Africa reached 33.6% in the second quarter of 2026. Between April and June, the number of unemployed people increased by 345,000, reaching a total of 8.5 million, while employment decreased by 16,000 to 16.7 million.
In recent months, DPWI KwaZulu-Natal launched projects at Port Shepstone Hospital and Woodland Primary School, creating at least 228 and 39 local jobs, respectively. Both projects prioritize women (60%), youth (55%), and people with disabilities (3%), adhering to EPWP guidelines. Furthermore, they contribute to achieving Local Participation Goals (CPG) and the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) goals for higher education students.
During the Parliamentary Summit on Gang Violence last month, Mkhwanzi demanded an audit of the public works programme. He stated that law enforcement agencies are facing corruption within the tendering system. He questioned why the government continues to outsource projects such as schools, clinics, and road maintenance instead of directly hiring the unemployed, noting the availability of skilled local youth and artisans capable of overseeing or performing this work.