UIF paid out over R1 billion in benefits for December festive season

The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) has paid out more than R1 billion to just over 225 000 beneficiaries during the December festive season.

The UIF paid out R876 million for unemployment benefits, R88 million for maternity and parental benefits, and R32 million for dependents benefits.

The fund also disbursed R24 million for illness benefits.

‘Benefits went a long way’

According to the UIF commissioner Teboho Maruping, the payouts were processed to ensure that beneficiaries and “their loved ones met their financial obligations during and after the festive season”.

Maruping said the UIF remains committed to providing social security to the fund’s contributors and their beneficiaries.

“I am very pleased that we were able to disburse the R1 billion to so many of our clients during the busy December period, and I have no doubt that this R1 billion pay out in benefits went a long way towards helping our clients to put food on the table during the festive break and planning for crucial items such as purchasing stationery and uniforms for children in the beginning of the new year as schools reopened around the country,” he said in a statement on Wednesday.

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“To this end, I would also like to thank our dedicated UIF officials in all provinces who continue to make benefit payments to our clients possible.

“This year, the fund will redouble its efforts to improve service delivery and to continue paying out claims to qualifying clients and their beneficiaries as efficiently as possible.”

“We will also be enhancing our information and communications technology systems and launching a data-free mobile app, a free USSD system, and a few other platforms to bolster and improve service delivery to our clients and stakeholders. Further announcements to these developments will be made in due course,” said Maruping.

Ters

The UIF also noted that the special Covid-19 Temporary Employer-Employee Relief Scheme (Ters) had disbursed R62 billion to at least 5 million workers since it was introduced during the first lockdown in March 2020.

“For the Workers Affected by Unrest (Wabu), a temporary financial relief scheme that was established to assist workers who lost income as a result of the July 2021 unrest, the UIF has paid out R21 million to 6 404 workers,” the fund said.

Last year, R3.4 billion in money stolen through the relief scheme was voluntarily returned to the UIF.

Thuja Capital

The UIF was also in the spotlight recently following the Thuja Capital Fund Project controversy, which prompted calls from the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) for the fund to be placed under administration.

Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi earlier this month announced the suspension of the project after it had been brought into question by recent media reports.

Nxesi had instructed Labour Department director-general Thobile Lamati and Maruping to halt the project until concerns over the investment were addressed.

Sunday Times discovered that the department and UIF planned to invest over R5 billion in Thuja Capital Fund despite the company having no premises, website, or track record.

The company is reportedly not registered with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC).

STATEMENT REGARDING THUJA CAPITAL FUND PROJECT BY THE UIF LABOUR ACTIVATION PROGRAMME,

I have since instructed the Director General (DG) of the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) and UIF Commissioner to suspend this project pending a full report on all the matters raised pic.twitter.com/s7LeSbNKOH

— Minister Thulas Nxesi (@NxesiThulas) January 1, 2023

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