The State of the Expanded Public Works Programme in South African Cities Report 2016/17 is the seventh publication in the series of reports produced by the SACN. The report outlines the progress and implementation of the EPWP by the cities in 2016/17, which was the third year of Phase III of the EPWP. The main body of the report gives an overview of EPWP Phase III targets, institutional arrangements, implementation, and challenges faced. This is followed by individual city reports (Part III) that focus on the progress made and key successes in implementing the EPWP. Part IV describes some best-practice case studies that have been documented by the EPWP Reference Group (RG), to support shared learning from experience.

Primary and secondary research methods were used in compiling this report. A desktop study involved a review and analysis of relevant documents sourced from the eight cities, as well as the EPWP and SACN websitesThe EPWP Quarterly Reports and the Management Information System used by the EPWP Unit National Technical Support Programme5 provided statistical data, while the EPWP RG and the national DPW Monitoring and Evaluation Unit shared their collective intelligence. Individual cities gave input to the report through individual city reports and through telephone interviews with city representatives. Many of the interviewees already represent their city on the SACN EPWP RG, which is a platform where cities can share best practices and lessons learned in the implementation of the EPWP. Notes and minutes from the EPWP RG quarterly meetings were also a source of data.