The UIF resumed payments on Monday after the scheme was suspended in August due to defects being identified in the controls of the system.
The extended UIF call centre in Johannesburg. Picture: Kayleen Morgan/EWN
JOHANNESBURG – The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) says it is confident that the data it has collated is up to date and correct, making it safe to resume payment for the COVID-19 Temporary Employment Relief Fund Scheme (TERS).
The UIF resumed payments on Monday after the scheme was suspended in August due to defects being identified in the controls of the system.
Auditor-General Kimi Makwetu released a report on the COVID-19 relief fund amid allegations of corruption in the tender process.
He found that there were overpayments, underpayments, fraud and double-dipping.
The AG found that a new system implemented for TERS incorrectly calculated the benefits for the first lockdown period between March and April.
The UIF also found that payments were made to fictitious persons, some people who had been incarcerated and some government officials – saying it lost about R1 billion from this.
But spokesperson Makhosonke Buthelezi said they had upped their game.
“For example, with Home Affairs we sent about 5 million IDs so that they can verify for as us as correct, and of the authentic ones we also ran their data against DPSA so that we also ensure that we don’t pay public servants that have been receiving salaries during lockdown.”
The closing date for applications between March and May is this Friday, and for payments from June, claimants have until 15 October.