20 August 2024

Attention of:

Mr Teboho Maruping

Commissioner: Unemployment Insurance Fund

teboho.maruping@labour.gov.za

Also for notice of:

Ms Nomakhosazana Meth

Minister of Employment and Labour

nmeth@parliament.gov.za

Ms Phumzile Mgcina and Mr Jomo Sibiya

Deputy Minister(s) of Employment and Labour

pmgcina@parliament.gov.za and nsibiya@parliament.gov.za

Dear Commissioner

UFILING SYSTEM SHUTDOWN // NON-PAYMENT OF SERVICE PROVIDER

NEASA has received increased reports from employers, third parties and employees regarding the dysfunctionality of the Unemployment Insurance Fund’s (UIF) online filing and claiming system, UFILING.

According to our sources, this problematic situation has been ongoing for at least the last three months. Furthermore, upon discussion of the issue by stakeholders with the officials at the Department of Labour, the officials said that the DoEL has not paid the UFILING service provider, and consequently, the service provider has suspended the functionality and operation of the system. Apparently, your branch of the DoEL is waiting on a directive from the National Offices on how to proceed.

Last week Friday, certain officials at the DoEL/UIF branches, advised the public that they are resorting to manual processing of all administrative functions, including declarations, claims and payment submissions. This switch to manual processing has not been communicated on any public news or communication channels, thus, stakeholders are unaware thereof and cannot comply with the UIF Act. The UIF Contact Centre seems to be unaware of the current state of dysfunctionality, and does not advise stakeholders accordingly.

Employers and employees cannot interact with the Fund effectively and do not know that their transactions must be performed in person, manually, at a DoEL/UIF office. This is extremely inconvenient, impractical and, truthfully, unacceptable.

This dreadful state of affairs has an extremely negative impact on all stakeholders, especially bearing in mind that we are nearing month-end declarations.

NEASA consequently requests clarity from your Department on exactly what the cause of the system’s complete failure is, whether it is being addressed, and if so, how, as well as an estimated time of resolve. In the meantime, what will the Department be actioning in order to ensure that the public and all stakeholders are firstly, aware of the current state of affairs and the switch to manual transactions, and secondly, the resolution of the system dysfunction – will the Department be paying the service provider, or contracting an alternative provider?

In light of the severity and extreme urgency of this matter, should NEASA not receive a response within seven days from date hereof, we will have no option but to issue a press release in this regard.

Kind regards

G.C. Papenfus

CHIEF EXECUTIVE