Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Waste Management Alderman Grant Twigg last night attended an event to commemorate a successful first year of the EPWP Entrepreneurship training programme. The City Manager also delivered a speech at the event.
The Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) Entrepreneurship Training Programme (ETP) is a partnership between the City of Cape Town and the University of the Western Cape to transfer entrepreneurial skills to micro-entrepreneurs (formal & informal).
The programme has provided training in financial accounting, planning and compliance, and personal leadership specifically designed for micro-entrepreneurs. Currently, there are over 100 participants in the programme that was selected from a comprehensive advertising campaign, including radio, social media and community newspapers.
Approximately R80 million has been budgeted over a three-year period from 2021/22 – 2023/24.
‘The initial response to the City’s strategy of leveraging the EPWP to foster entrepreneurship and support the development of SMMEs has been positively overwhelming. This programme is providing a blueprint for how a municipality can partner with academic institutions to contribute to meaningful skills development among jobseekers. We want to change the perception that the EPWP is only for menial jobs and showcase how to maximise its impact,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Waste Management, Alderman Grant Twigg.