returns
7 February 2007
The Department of Labour has advised employers that the Unemployment
Insurance Fund has since the beginning of January 2007 discontinued the blanket
issuing of the UI-7 forms.
This is the manual return form that is sent out to domestic employers and
all businesses not registered to pay tax with the South African Revenue Service
(SARS) to confirm their employees' contributions with the UIF.
Announcing this move in Pretoria today, Acting Unemployment Insurance
Commissioner, Boas Seruwe, explained that the UI-7 form or return was a
mechanism developed for employers to notify the Unemployment Insurance
Commissioner of the amount of contribution that they had made.
The Fund was issuing more than 670 000 returns at the cost of more than R1
million every month.
"The decision to stop issuing the returns in bulk was influenced by the
realisation that many of our employers are increasingly starting to utilise the
new convenient online electronic filing system specifically designed for
domestic and small employers.
"The system was launched by Minister of Labour Membathisi Mdladlana in
August last year. Through the new system employers are able to make payments
for their monthly contributions and submit required documents online," he
said.
Seruwe said there was no need to receive, and send back a return if
employers were utilising the system because employers automatically notify the
UIF of their payments in respect of their employees. The system could be
accessed on http://www.ufiling.gov.za
"We have also since realised that only a handful of employers do in fact
send back the returns to the UIF and this causes unnecessary inconvenience.
With this new step we are hopeful that the Fund will be able to save money on
postage as the return will now be issued only on demand," he said.
The majority of employers had been already contacted by the UIF to inform
them of the new developments and to make them aware of the new online system
towards the end of last year. Employers who still insist on receiving the
return have been urged to contact the UIF call centre on (012) 337 1680 during
weekdays from 07h30 to 18h00 and on weekends from 07h30 to 14h00.
Seruwe concluded by warning employers that it was against the law not to
notify the UIF of contributions.
Enquiries:
Kgomotso Sebetso
Cell: 073 269 9870
E-mail: Kgomotsos@labour.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Labour
7 February 2007
