22 September 2006
In an effort to drastically reduce payment backlogs, the Compensation Fund
will on Tuesday, 26 September, launch a four-day "Services Imbizo" in the Free
State.
The gathering at the Labour Department's provincial office in Bloemfontein
forms part of the Department's national endeavour to ease backlogs on
reimbursement of medical and other service providers.
The reality of the backlogs at the Compensation Fund has led to client
dissatisfaction with the service, resulting in some medical providers refusing
to treat Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (COIDA)
patients. This necessitated this major effort to quicken the provision of
service delivery and to wipe out the backlogs.
The Free State Imbizo is the first of the three scheduled for different
parts of the country, with Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces set to host
before the end of this year at centres yet to be announced.
Dedicated teams from Head Office in Pretoria come to the designated centre
to provide service on the spot. All claims with all necessary documentation
will be processed and finalised there and then.
The main services that will be rendered during the Imbizo are medical
payments on the spot of all claims that have all the necessary documentation,
adjudication of all claims, answering of all compensation queries as well as
the promotion of the usage of the Compensation Fund Call Centre (0860 105 350)
as well as Labour Centres.
Enquiries:
Mokgadi Pela
Cell: 082 808 2168
Thami Mchunu
Cell: 083 286 8002
Website: www.labour.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Labour
22 September 2006
