City of Cape Town Launches EPWP Hydrant Project to Boost Employment and Urban Safety

The City of Cape Town has introduced a new project employing Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) workers to inspect fire hydrants and refer damaged or obstructed hydrants for further action.

The project is creating work opportunities, while also helping to reduce risks to life and property throughout the city. There are approximately 57,803 fire hydrants along the city’s approximately 10,000km road network that supply water for fire emergencies.

In many areas, these hydrants are routinely vandalised or obstructed by unapproved building work. A total of 26 job seekers have been recruited to assist with inspections of fire hydrants, as part of the Hydrant Project, while a further five recruits with matric and a valid code B driver’s licence are being contracted as EPWP drivers/supervisors. All recruits were sourced from the city’s Jobseekers’ Database.

Hydrant workers receive on-the-job training from handymen and their supervisors, whereas drivers/supervisors benefitted from a smart driving course to help strengthen their CVs for possible future employment opportunities within the city. All beneficiaries on the project were also sent to fire safety awareness training.

“Considering the possible dire consequences if fire services teams reach the scene of a fire to find the hydrant has been vandalised or built over, this project is a great example of the major value EPWP workers and projects can bring to the city. I would like to commend those who conceived of this project, as it manages to provide a valuable service at an affordable cost, while at the same time, providing a lifeline to job seekers,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Waste Management, Grant Twigg.