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The Department of Employment and Labours' Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) Provincial Rapid Response Team (PRRT) is embarking on a clean up project focusing on the backlog of UIF claims.

The project is in response to high numbers of clients who are visiting Labour Centres across the Province due to retrenchments and lay-offs by most companies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the month of October, the Provincial Management visited Labour Centres across the Provinces and the common factor observed was that long queues emanate from retrenchments and system deficiencies resulting in slowness on processing claims, influx and repeated visit by clients.

Regular visits by clients poses a risk in terms of the COVID-19 regulations and inadequate queue management outside the Labour Centres could increase the chances of infections and transmission of Corona virus. Clients do not observe social distancing or health guidelines and this project will assist in responding to their needs efficiently in order to reduce the number of clients frequently visiting the Labour Centres.  

The Head of Department of Employment and Labour: Eastern Cape; Ms Nomfundo Douw- Jack said that public servants are expected to mitigate service delivery bottlenecks and recommit to the Batho Pele Principles by unblocking the red-tape in the delivery of services. Thus this project is done to ensure that clients' needs are met and the Department pays the right client at the right time the first time.

The visits which commenced from 02 November started with East London, followed by Mdantsane, Mthatha and Uitenhage staying five days in each town and will this week be in Port Elizabeth from today, 23^rd until 27^th November 2020.

Since the start of the project Eastern Cape; Department of Employment and Labour has disbursed an amount of R9 592 740,53 for UIF claims which range from ordinary benefits, death, illness and maternity benefits.

For more information, please contact:

Ziphozihle Josefu

Provincial Communication Officer

082 308 6306

“Our actions are key to stopping the second wave of Covid-19 spread. Wear your mask, wash hands regularly and keep maintaining the social distancing"

-ENDS-

Issued by: Department of Employment and Labour​