About 350 Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) workers in Thohoyandou and surrounding areas say they are still waiting for outstanding wages, several months after the project collapsed. Some complain of being paid for only one month, despite working longer.
The workers were part of an EPWP programme implemented through the Collen Mashawana Foundation (CMF). According to correspondence shared with participants, the foundation withdrew from the programme on 1 December 2025.
The Independent Development Trust (IDT), which oversees the project, has stepped in and said it would pay workers directly for the days worked after CMF’s withdrawal. In spite of this assurance, several workers say they are still waiting.
Workers started in July last year on contracts expected to run for five months. Some worked the full period, but were paid for only one month, while others were paid for up to four months and are still owed the remainder. Some say they were never paid at all.
Phalwanda Malange from Tshidongololwe said she is owed four months’ salary. She said that they were earning R126 per day for 14 days, cleaning at places such as schools and crèches.
“I demand my money because I was told to sign a payment sheet by a CMF worker and was promised payment last year when others were paid. Due to high unemployment, I continued working to support my four children, but I received nothing. R1,764 for one month is not fair,” she said.
Supervisor Emmanuel Muravha said some workers’ banking details were verified, but payments were still not made. “Some signatures were forged, and some unpaid workers refused to sign the payment sheets,” he said. He added that he was paid as a general worker and never received payment as a supervisor before the foundation withdrew.
IDT Chief Executive Officer Sfiso Nsibande said 350 participants were part of the programme, but only 280 had come forward to be verified. Payments will only be made to verified participants, and the agency expects these to be processed “by next week”.
The IDT confirmed that workers are owed 28 days of unpaid work, covering October and November 2025. It said CMF had paid workers from July to September and that no funds were transferred to the foundation for the outstanding period.
“No funds were paid to CMF for the months of October and November 2025. The IDT will be paying the participants directly,” the agency said.
The IDT is conducting an independent forensic investigation into allegations of forged signatures and irregularities in attendance registers and payment sheets. However, it declined to provide further details, saying the matter is now “sub judice”.
Ntombi Mavuso, finance manager of the CMF, said the foundation had withdrawn from the project and would not comment further. “The IDT should be able to provide answers,” she said.