Parliament, Saturday, 2 May 2020 – The committees on employment and labour held a follow up joint virtual meeting on progress made on the performance of entities administered by the Department of Employment and Labour.
The entities are the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), Compensation Fund (CF) and Inspection and Enforcement Services who assist the workers during the lockdown period.
The Department told the committees that R4 billion was paid during the lockdown period, covering over a million workers. Applications were received from 137 386 employers. The committees heard that applications from 750 employers for 8958 employees failed bank verification.
The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Employment and Labour, Ms Lindelwa Dunjwa, called on the Department of Employment and Labour to deal with employers who seek to exploit the UIF system by submitting fraudulent claims.
"This kind of fraud is unacceptable, the Department and the UIF need to be vigilant, and alert the law enforcement agencies without hesitation on suspicious claims."
The committees heard that 42 COVID-19 related claims had been submitted, 39 of which the Compensation Fund accepted liability.
Ms Dunjwa said the intervention schemes that exist as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown regulations should be used for the purposes for which they were established.
“Employers have no reason to submit fraudulent and false claims, the country is dealing with a matter of life and death. The Department needs to look at the matters involving vulnerable workers like the domestic workers and petrol attendants."
She said some employers may overlook issues of compliance and those needed to be assisted.
The committees appreciated the employers who played an active role, and made use of the interventions availed by the government for their employees.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON, MS LINDELWA DUNJWA.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the Committee’s Media Officer:
Name: Sibongile Maputi (Mr)
Tel: 021 403 8041
Cell: 081 052 6060
Email: smaputi@parliament.gov.za
Arrange a tour