The time has come for benefits accruing to workers injured on duty to be harmonised in the interest of fairness, Shadrack Mkhonto, the Compensation Fund Commissioner said in Pretoria yesterday, 07 September 2011.
Mkhonto was addressing the fund’s board meeting ahead of the proposed policy aimed at rehabilitating and reintegrating injured workers in their former places of work.
“As we speak, we have two bodies, namely, Rand Mutual Assurance (RMA) and Federated Employers Mutual Assurance (FEMA) offering different benefits to injured workers. These benefits are much better in terms of professionalism and service to those offered by the Fund although the Legislation governing such benefits is the same,” Mkhonto said.
“One example is that if a worker is wheelchair-bound, these mutuals would walk an extra mile in ensuring that the home environment of the worker is conducive to daily household engagements including a pathway to the toilet for those in rural areas, which the Fund is unable to match”, said the Commissioner.
Mkhonto said such disparities lead to employers in good standing in terms of complying with law migrating to RMA and FEMA leaving the Fund with struggling companies. “The employers in good standing argue that if they pay regularly, why their workers should be subjected to substandard services.
Mkhonto said these anomalies point to the need for the harmonisation of benefits for injured workers. The harmonisation must be in the best interest of the workers.
Meanwhile, the Board also resolved to embark on a taxing programme of road shows in all provinces starting from next month, interacting with stakeholders to get first-hand information on what is happening on the ground.
Enquiries:
Shakes Mkhonto
082 568 3151
Compensation Fund gunning for harmonisation of benefits
