The Department of Employment and Labour in the Eastern Cape Province has embarked on a clean-up project through its Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) Provincial Rapid Response Team (PRRT) focusing on the backlog of UIF claims and in the process, has disbursed UIF benefits totalling R22　124　578.37 for ordinary benefits, death, illness and maternity benefits.

The project which has been on since the beginning of November, 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 province and the common factor observed throughout were long queues of clients who came to claim for UIF due to retrenchments and lay-offs exacerbated by system deficiencies resulting in slowness in processing of claims.

Long queues by clients poses a risk in terms of the COVID-19 regulations as there is a lack of social distance between clients, improper wearing of masks outside the Labour Centres which increases the chances of the spread of the Coronavirus amongst clients and staff inevitably. To assist in flattening the curve this project has responded to the needs efficiently in order to reduce the number of clients frequently visiting the labour centres.　

The Head of Department in the Eastern Cape, Ms Nomfundo Douw- Jack said: "Ideally our clients should come to our offices once to lodge their UIF claims but because of some challenges we see them frequenting our offices unnecessarily. As public servants we should make it a norm to always look for innovative ways of how to serve our clients while ensuring that we live by the Batho Pele Principles at all times. It is our duty to unblock the red-tape in the delivery of services, we owe our clients that much. Thus this project has taught us if we are intentional by putting our efforts and focus in meeting each client’s needs then best results are guaranteed."

Since the beginning of the project the Eastern Cape Department of Employment and Labour has disbursed UIF benefits totalling R22　124　578.37 for ordinary benefits, death, illness and maternity benefits. The visits were as follows: