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Cogta’s axeing of community workers likely to plunge people into instant poverty, say unions

Cogta’s axeing of community workers likely to plunge people into instant poverty, say unions
Workers affiliated to the South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU) protest at the Tshwane House in 2020. (Photo by Gallo Images/Phill Magakoe)
Naledi Sikhakhane
By Naledi Sikhakhane
3 Jan 2025
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Workers unions say the community workers and public works programmes, which help supplement local government labour, expose people to precarious labour practices and plunges them back into abject poverty when the programmes end.

Community workers, particularly those aged 55 and older, employed by the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) are set to lose their jobs because of budget cuts. Civic organisations are now lambasting Cogta for the last-minute communication about the job cuts and are calling for a discussion on bigger themes, such as failing local government structures, which results in the community workers becoming crucial in the upkeep of communities upkeep, and how they are underpaid despite doing similar work to municipal workers.

A circular issued on 24 December 2024 by the director-general of the department, Mbulelo Tshangana, revealed that more than 225,000 community-based positions, across all nine provinces are at risk because of a drastic reduction in funding from the National Treasury.

On Friday, 3 January 2024, South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) spokesperson Papikie Mohale told Daily Maverick the union is opposed to the Expanded Public Works and the Community Work programmes as they expose workers to exploitation and low pay despite working side by side with municipal workers in some cases. 

“As Samwu we do not agree with the programme because it is essentially a conveyor belt of cheap labour for Cogta and municipalities; it enables exploitation of workers. Even with the job cuts, it is an injustice for these workers; the municipality should use this as an opportunity to employ these workers because they have the experience and know what needs to be done. We are calling on municipalities to absorb those workers,” Mohale said.

Mohale added that because these workers are not permanently employed, they were unfairly notified only a few days before the termination of the contracts.

“Because of precarious employment, this is why they are not afforded the dignity of sufficient notice, so they can look for alternative employment and we know in South Africa, the unemployment rate is high so securing new employment is very very hard. People have children,” Mohale said.

Age 55 cut-off


Samwu workers at a protest Municipal workers union Samwu argues that Cogta’s Community Work Programme ‘is essentially a conveyor belt of cheap labour for Cogta and municipalities’.



Civic organisation Save South Africa called for the department to reconsider its decision to cut jobs. 

National communications director Tebogo Mashilompane National of the party said: “Save SA is disturbed by this announcement and calls on Cogta to reconsider its decision. Cogta issued a circular on 24 December stating specifically that it will on 31 January terminate contracts of those who are from the age of 55. 

“We view this as a lack of timing and lack of proper planning. January is a crucial time for many South Africans, especially those who are underpaid and underemployed like community workers.” Mashilompane said.

He called on the Cogta minister Velenkosini Hlabisa to be sympathetic towards the older employees because they are less likely to get work after the termination.

“And sadly, the very same person was receiving a slave stipend that did not even allow him or her to save for the future. Save South Africa condemns this announcement and calls on the minister to be sensitive and to also put himself in the shoes of those 55 years he intends to retrench. The Minister of Cogta is 59 years old, and he still believes that he can still do more, but on the other hand, he believes that a 55 year old is too old and worth a retrenchment,” Mashilompane said.

According to Cogta’s website, the Community Work Programme (CWP) is a government initiative to “provide a job safety net for unemployed people of working age. It provides a bridging opportunity for unemployed youth and others who are actively looking for employment opportunities”.

Purpose of the CWP



  • To provide an employment safety net. The CWP recognises that sustainable employment solutions will take time, particularly in reaching marginal economic areas;

  • To contribute to the development of public assets and services in poor communities;

  • To strengthen community development approaches; and

  • To strengthen the economic ‘agency’ of people in poor areas, providing work experience, enhancing dignity and promoting social and economic inclusion.


Bigger problem


Cosatu spokesperson Zanele Sabela said the union congress is deeply concerned by Cogta’s exclusion of CWP participants who are 55 years and older from the programmes by the end of this month. 

“This is particularly worrying because these participants will be plunged into instant poverty as they will struggle to secure other employment in an economy with an unemployment rate of 41.9% (expanded unemployment rate). Morally, we cannot afford to do this,” Sabela said.

Sabela said Cosatu is hoping to engage the Cogta minister as well as the Minister of Employment and Labour in a holistic discussion about public employment programmes, which can provide a decent path to permanent jobs and a living wage to the millions who participate in these programmes. 

“All too often, these employment programmes pay below minimum wage, provide little skills or training opportunities, and offer almost no pathways to employment. This leads to a scenario where participants become dependent on these programmes and when they come to an end, it places them and their families in crisis,” Sabela said.

She added that Cosatu will also discuss alternatives to simply cutting off the CWP lifeline to participants with the Cogta minister and the Minister of Finance. “There needs to be a discussion about formulating a new local government model because many municipalities are currently on the verge of bankruptcy.”

Read more: Municipalities have to function, emphasises Hlabisa as critics question Cogta plans

Sabela echoed Mohapelo’s sentiments saying that these programmes have become a tool for cheap labour and need revision so they can be fit for purpose.

“Many of them use these work programmes to outsource permanent work to what has essentially become cheap labour. We need to ensure that participants become part of the municipalities’ organogram, not just fed off to below-minimum wage pay programmes. Right now we need to find an immediate resolution to this crisis while exploring longer-term solutions because the status quo cannot be maintained,” Sabela said.

Daily Maverick reached out to the department of Public Works for comment however no response had been received at the time of publication. DM

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