The Department of Public Works was tasked by the President of the Republic of South Africa to create 500 000 work opportunities by the end of December 2009 through phase two of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP 2). Pursuant to the Portfolio Committee on Public Works' legislative mandate and through the Committee's interactions with the Department of Public Works (DPW), the Committee decided to undertake an oversight visit to the Eastern Cape Province to monitor progress made and experience the challenges faced by that Province in the roll out of the EPWP 2 programme and also in the eradication of mud schools and other unsafe structures.