Johannesburg – More than R1 billion was processed and paid to just over 225 000 beneficiaries in December 2022, according to the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF).
This was to ensure that clients and their loved ones met their financial obligations during and after the festive season.
UIF commissioner Teboho Maruping says the fund remains committed to providing social security to UIF contributors and their beneficiaries.
Maruping said he was glad they were able to disburse the R1bn to their clients during the busy December period, and he said he had no doubt that this payout in benefits had gone a long way in helping their clients put food on the table during the festive break and plan for crucial items such as stationery and uniforms for children at the beginning of the new school year.
“To this end, I would also like to thank our dedicated UIF officials in all provinces who continue to make benefit payments to our clients possible. This year, the fund will redouble its efforts to improve service delivery and to continue paying out claims to qualifying clients and their beneficiaries as efficiently as possible.
“We will also be enhancing our information and communications technology systems and launching a data-free mobile application (app), a free USSD system, and a few other platforms to bolster and improve service delivery to our clients and stakeholders. Further announcements to these developments will be made in due course,” said Maruping.
The UIF announced that since the inception of the special Covid-19 Temporary Employer-Employee Relief Scheme in March 2020 during the first lockdown, the fund had disbursed R62bn to at least 5 million workers to date.
“For the Workers Affected by Unrest (Wabu), a temporary financial relief scheme that was established to assist workers who lost income as a result of the July 2021 unrest, the UIF has paid out R21 million to 6 404 workers,” the fund said.
The R1bn benefit payout can be broken down as follows:
Unemployment Benefits – R876m;
Maternity and Parental Benefits – R88m;
Dependants’ Benefits – R32m, and
Illness Benefits – R24m.
The Star