Many claimed that they had not received a cent from the Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme (TERS).
A group of Numsa-affiliated workers protested at the Labour Department’s provincial head offices in Cape Town on 30 September 2020. Picture: Kaylynn Palm/EWN
CAPE TOWN – Trade union Numsa handed over a memorandum to the Labour Department on Wednesday demanding that outstanding and delayed UIF payments be made.
A group of workers protested at the department’s provincial head offices in Cape Town yesterday.
Many claimed that they had not received a cent from the Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme (TERS).
It was set up to try and cushion the financial blow of the COVID-19 lockdown.
It’s simple – pay workers their money and stop stealing.
This is what protesters had to say at yesterday’s demonstration.
Numsa’s Vuyo Lufele said that some workers had not been paid for months.
“We represent poor communities who are going to bed hungry. Now we know that the money is here. We are here to say to the UIF: ‘Not under our watch. You will pay that money back’.”
A Mitchells Plain man said that he had waited for four months for his money.
“We need to feed our families. There’s less food, less bread on the tables, we cannot pay our bills… we are saying enough is enough. Stop stealing from the poor.”
The union is demanding a meeting with UIF management.
It’s demanding that all outstanding payments from April to August be paid immediately.
#UIF Union members and employees protesting at the Labour Department in Cape Town this afternoon. @kaylynnpalm pic.twitter.com/XPZlS8zE5y
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) September 30, 2020
