Government’s flagship labour-based relief programme, Ipelegeng, set to transform from a purely welfare-based intervention to promoting skills development appears to have undergone a change in name only. A document seen by Sunday Standard shows that key conditions among them wages and working hours have remain unchanged. This has raised questions about whether the reform is more cosmetic than substantive.
In a circular dated March 26, 2026, Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Traditional Affairs, directed all council secretaries, town clerks and tribal administrators to submit project proposals for implementation under the revamped programme for the 2026/2027 financial year.
The directive follows earlier communications dated March 11, 2026, on the ministry’s development budget and December 15, 2025, which approved the transformation of Ipelegeng into Ikageng.
Despite the rebranding, core features of the programme remain intact. The circular states that the programme allowance will remain at P817.00 for labourers and P901.00 for supervisors, while working hours will continue at six hours per day.
‘The current number of beneficiaries (quota) will still be observed as employment targets,’ reads the Savingram. It added that districts must focus on creating sustainable opportunities within those limits.
The ministry has, however, introduced structural adjustments, including the scrapping of monthly worker rotation. Participants will now remain engaged for the duration of specific projects which is a shift the ministry says is meant to improve efficiency and accountability.
The programme’s transformation was first revealed by Minister of Local Government and Traditional Affairs, Ketlhalefile Motshegwa, who told Parliament in October 2025 that reforms were already underway. ‘The transformation of Ipelegeng programme from a purely welfare-based intervention to promoting skills development is in full swing,’ said Motshegwa.
He emphasised that the restructured programme aims to move beyond short-term relief. ‘The Ipelegeng programme remains one of the most recognisable pillars of our social protection system, providing immediate relief and income support to vulnerable citizens across the country. To this end, we are undertaking a comprehensive transformation of the programme for it to promote productivity and pathways to sustainable livelihoods,’ he said while presenting the Social Protection Chapter of the draft National Development Plan 12.
‘These reforms are about restoring dignity and enhancing self-reliance,’ he said, adding that the goal is to ensure public works contribute meaningfully to both social protection and national development. It is understood that as the Ikageng programme rolls out, the unchanged wages and conditions are likely to fuel debate over whether the reform represents genuine transformation or simply a change in name.