Not even a good and well-intentioned initiative, like the UIF’s TERS relief scheme, has any chances to be successful when it has to be implemented by a government characterised by poor execution, even poorer administration and a total lack of oversight and accountability.
The Fund has paid out an amount of R50 million to employees, but there are too many cases in which people in need were let down despite the fact that everything on their side was in order. It is incomprehensible and the government must explain how this happened.
The government is trying to shift the blame to others, like dishonest employers who did not pay the TERS money out to their employees. There were indeed such cases, but the problem of backlogged payments by the Fund itself is much greater and must be rectified as soon as possible.
The FF Plus has noted the suspension of the UIF’s board members. However, more must be done to expose all the irregularities and to prosecute the guilty parties.
Although the TERS Fund paid out billions of rand, it seems that many ordinary UIF claims were overlooked in the process. The FF Plus received many complaints from people who did not receive maternity benefits, pension or other UIF payouts after being retrenched and some of these people are still waiting.
The TERS helpline was basically useless as it would just keep ringing or desperate callers could not be helped.
The most wonderful plan in the world is only as good as its execution. Unfortunately, the TERS initiative failed due to the incompetence of the UIF, the Department of Labour and the ANC government.
Read the original article in Afrikaans by Heloïse Denner on FF Plus
South Africa Today – South Africa News
