In October 2020, The Presidential Employment Stimulus Initiative (PESI) was launched to address the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Phase 2 was launched in November 2021. In late March 2023, the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development said it would visit Mpumalanga Province, to assess the efficacy and impact of PESI in agriculture. The Department had received R1 billion from PESI. The committee promised to pay site visits to PESI beneficiaries in the area, as part of the three-day oversight programme.
