(UIF) millions
22 November 2007
The Unemployment Insurance Fund has, in the past financial year, made close
to two million payments to the unemployed workers throughout the country, the
Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Labour heard this week.
Addressing the Committee in Cape Town, Unemployment Insurance Commissioner,
Boas Seruwe, said the statistics show that unemployed workers in South Africa's
economic hub, Gauteng South, including the Johannesburg Metropole, continue to
benefit immensely from the unemployment payouts.
He told members of Parliament that the UIF continues to execute its mandate
of providing short-term relief to workers during periods of unemployment
proficiently.
"In the 2006/07 Financial Year we disbursed over R716 million into the
pockets of more than 117 000 unemployed workers in the Gauteng South area only.
Second to Gauteng South is KwaZulu-Natal where more than R531 million was paid
out to more than 114 000 beneficiaries," Seruwe added.
He said the Western Cape was the third with more than 100 000 unemployed
workers benefiting from R501 million. "In total we have paid R2,84 billion to
over 572 000 claimants countrywide in poverty alleviation during the difficult
times of joblessness, whilst looking for alternative employment opportunities,"
Seruwe explained.
Seruwe never fell short of commending employers who committed to continue to
comply with the law by registering their businesses and workers with the fund.
He said currently more than 7,3 million workers had been registered with the
UIF.
He said as at the end of March 2007, the records showed that 528 000
employers in the commercial sector alone had registered on the UIF database.
The numbers showed a vast improvement as compared to the end of March 2006
where the figures stood at 490 000.
He added that figures in the domestic sector were also encouraging with 540
000 employers registered with the Fund and more than 629 000 workers enjoying
coverage. He said this represented an increase of 9,6% and 7,9%
respectively.
"Our mandate is to protect the social wellbeing of workers; hence it is only
pleasing to see more workers being registered with the fund. In 2006/07
financial year our records showed that more than 6,6 million workers were
registered as compared to the 6,5 million worker in the 2005/06 fiscal year,"
Seruwe highlighted.
It is in the best interest of employers to register their business and
workers with the UIF before commencing with any business activities. The law
requires that employers must register anyone working for them for 24 hours a
month or more. The UIF law stated clearly that failure to comply with the
provision of the law constituted a punishable offence which could result in a
fine or imprisonment, or even both a fine and an imprisonment.
But Seruwe lamented the growing trend from workers who continued to draw UIF
benefits whilst in employment. He said that the UIF viewed this in a serious
light and those caught engaging in such activities would be met with a full
might of the law.
Enquiries:
Kgomotso Sebetso
Cell: 073 269 9870
E-mail: kgomotoss@labour.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Labour
22 November 2007
Source: Department of Labour (http://www.labour.gov.za)
