The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) approved 51 723 normal benefit claims and paid R671 million to beneficiaries in the Free State during the 2020/2021 financial year.

This was revealed by UIF Assistant Director in the Free State, Tahlo Sabatane, during a virtual media briefing with journalists in the Free State today.

The R671 million is broken down as follows:

• 43 219 unemployment claims worth R603 million;
• 4430 reduced work time claims worth R25 million;
• 3041 maternity claims worth R23 million;
• 1032 illness claims worth R19 million; and
• 1 adoption benefit claim worth R5147.
  
   
  
  Sabatane said the Covid-19 pandemic also posed some challenges such as long queues at Labour Centres in the Free State but they quickly put in place several measures to ensure that UIF claims are assessed and paid.
  
  These included:

• Processing UIF payments without physical submission of continuation forms;
• Accepting applications via email and drop boxes; 
• Leverage online platforms for a request for payments;
• Processing bulk applications through a spreadsheet; and
• Appointment of Queue Marshalls to ensure adherence to Covid-19 regulations.
  
   
  
  “Our officials also worked overtime on weekends and we extended the working hours to 06:00-18:00 at labour centres to clear backlogs," said Sabatane.
  
  Free State Chief Director: Provincial Operations, Emily Maneli, said the province had also established the “one-day service" campaign which entails processing and paying UIF clients on the same day if they submitted the correct documents and declarations were up to date. 
  
  When presenting on the UIF's Covid-19 Temporary Employer-Employee Relief Scheme (Covid-19 TERS), UIF Director: Communication and Marketing, Makhosonke Buthelezi, revealed that the Fund had disbursed slightly over R62 billion to millions of employees via 780 051 employer applications since the start of the lockdown in April 2021, nationally. He added that common reasons for rejection of claims included deceased employees, duplicate ID's, inmates and incorrect banking details.
  
  Buthelezi told journalists that the Fund had received 344 Covid-19 TERS fraud cases nationally (12 in the Free State) and 240 had been finalised, 104 were outstanding and 16 people had been arrested nationally, and appeared in various courts around the country.
  
  He further stated that, currently, there was no further Covid-19 TERS extension beyond 15 March 2021, however, social partners at the National Economic Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC) are discussing the matter and the outcome would be communicated.
  
   
  
  For more information, please contact:
  
   
  
  Cebisa Siyobi
  
  Provincial Communication Officer: Free State
  
  072 427 6034
  
  cebisa.siyobi@labour.gov.za
  
   
  
  or
  
   
  
  Lungelo Mkamba 
  
  Deputy Director: UIF Communications
  
  079 889 0719

“Covid-19 is still around and deadlier than before. Keep washing or sanitising your hands, wear a face mask and keep a social distance".

-ENDS-

Issued by the Department of Employment and Labour.

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