×

We've got news for you.

Register on SowetanLIVE at no cost to receive newsletters, read exclusive articles & more.
Register now

Blow UIF whistle, workers urged

NO CHOICE: All employees have to be registered with the Unemployment Insurance Fund. Pic. Antonio Muchave. 03/01/00. © Sowetan.
NO CHOICE: All employees have to be registered with the Unemployment Insurance Fund. Pic. Antonio Muchave. 03/01/00. © Sowetan.

Elisha Molefe

Elisha Molefe

The Department of Labour has urged workers, especially farm labourers, to report employers who fail to comply with the Unemployment Insurance Fund legislation.

UIF spokesman, Kgomotso Sebetso, said employers were obliged to deduct 2percent from their employees' salaries every month and pay the money to the department.

"It is not an excuse to claim that an employee did not want the UIF coverage. UIF is compulsory for every worker who is employed for 24 hours or more in a month.

"If an employer fails to make the necessary monthly deductions, let alone fails to register with the UIF, severe penalties will be applied against that employer," Sebetso said.

"We, therefore, urge workers to be whistle blowers and report employers who fail to comply with the UIF, at any of our offices or to phone our call centre."

He said though on average, the UIF approved more than 40000 applications for benefits every month, the fund was concerned with the number of unemployed workers who were unable to access their benefits because they were not registered with the UIF.

"It pains us to see desperate unemployed workers being informed in time of need that their applications would not be immediately processed because their employersdid not register with the UIF.

"This leads to unnecessary delays in in processing their applications as we try to follow up on these errant employers," he said.

However, Sebetso paid tribute employers who continued to comply with the law. He revealed that the UIF had registered more than 3000 new employers and more than 120000 new workers in the business sector in April.

"Currently, we have the records of more than 7,2million workers from the business and domestic sectors registered with the fund."

Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.