The Gauteng Department of Infrastructure has unveiled a biometrics system to help combat manipulation of processes within the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP).
Driven by the Department of Public Works, EPWP is a government initiative that provides employment and income earning opportunities in the short- to medium-term. EPWP beneficiaries are employed by government, contractors or non-governmental organisations under the ministerial conditions of employment.
However, over the years, EPWP projects have been plagued by a range of vulnerabilities, mainly the credibility and integrity of data relating to the beneficiaries of the programme.
The biometrics system the department is introducing has facial and fingerprint recognition capabilities to authenticate the identity of every EPWP beneficiary. It will be used for beneficiary registration, shift and time management, comprehensive reporting, as well as payroll assessment.
Gauteng infrastructure development MEC Jacob Mamabolo says information that sits on manual systems is easily manipulated. "Transparency, openness and accountability of the people that we are going to be enrolling into EPWP are very critical.
"This system allows us from registration to confirm the identity of the beneficiary and determine the site where they will be working. When a beneficiary arrives on site, he or she will be required to provide their biometrics to show they have reported for work and will do the same exiting the working site. When it comes to work hours, which link up with the payment, the system will be able to say a beneficiary worked a certain number of hours, and therefore will be paid a salary for the number of hours worked."
Cheating the system
According to Mamabolo, there are many crooks benefiting from the EPWP. This, he says, was also revealed in the auditor-general's (AG's) reports, highlighting that the programme has too many loopholes.
Theo Nkonki, spokesperson for the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure, says going forward, there won't be a need for officials to validate beneficiaries.
Nkonki gave the example that corrupt officials can register a late family member and that person would earn a salary every month because the data was not validated. "The biometrics system does away with that.
"If your late grandfather doesn't come with his fingerprint and say here I am, I have this qualification, I live here and this is my cellphone number and these are my details, unfortunately that person won't be paid at the end of the month.
"The biometrics system eliminates spreadsheets. The data will also be kept safe, so should a natural disaster occur, for example, the documents won't be destroyed because they are in a secure system. The information is very secure."
A variation in hours and payments has become a huge frustration for beneficiaries, notes Mamabolo, but that will become a thing of the past.
Nkonki adds: "This system also communicates with the beneficiaries. On their cellphones they will receive information that is relevant to them. It's a very interactive system; it's not there to police only but also to make the life of a beneficiary very easy. If they have an issue with their payment, they won't find out three months after that; rather they will know instantly that something is wrong with their documents which may affect their payment.
"If the system is used properly, it can really make a difference in the EPWP programme."
Winning bidder
Nkonki confirms that after going out on tender, the provincial infrastructure department appointed Neo Africa to provide the technology and platform for the EPWP biometrics system.
Neo Africa describes itself as a company that was "developed as a platform for like-minded people with a flair for innovative business solutions". The company indicates it focuses on unique segments and sectors, such as IT and consulting.
Speaking on the Karima Brown show on 702 last night, Mamabolo said he has been assured the service provider selection process ticks all supply chain boxes.
"We did comply with everything in the book but if I were to find that there are areas of non-compliance by any of the officials that presided over the supply chain of the service provider, the law must kick in and the law must take its course.
"At this point, there is nothing that seems to suggest anything dodgy. Normally, once AGs and whistle-blowers come forward you can find that, but I can assure citizens that at this point there is nothing to worry about. If any information comes out and points to violation of any aspect of our law or policy we will not hesitate to take action."
EPWP beneficiaries will clock in and out at biometric kiosks on all 658 provincial infrastructure development sites across the development corridors of the province, according to the department.
Nkonki adds for those EPWP beneficiaries that work in an open plan site, for example grass cutters, the department will introduce mobile biometric kiosks.
In December, Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto will be the first rollout site of the biometrics system, Mamabolo concludes.
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