UIF registers another milestone

The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) registered a staggering amount of R27 823 billion at the end of March this year, Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana said in Pretoria today (Frid).

The Minister released this information at the meeting attended by about 70 leaders of his department and the Chairperson of the Labour Portfolio Committee Ms Rebecca Kasienyane and the Chairperson of the Select Committee on Labour and Public Enterprises, Ms Prescilla Themba.

“This figure shows a massive growth from the R7.031 billion reported in April 2004.  When I came in 1998, the fund was technically bankrupt,” he said.

During the period April 2004 and March 2008, over 2.2 million beneficiaries were paid UIF benefits of R11.02 billion,” the Minister said.

He said the number of employees registered on the UIF database stood at 7 392 493.

“This is almost half the number of working people in South Africa.  This is the information you don’t get anywhere,” he said.

The Minister said the number of employers on the UIF database was 1166 467.

At the same time Mdladlana said the long queues associated with the signing of the UIF register and collection of payment benefits have been eliminated since the introduction of the electronic payment system.

He said claims processing centres had increased from 14 in 2004 to 57 in 2008.