The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) applauds the Special Investigating Unit (SIU)’s Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF)’s anti-corruption search and seizure operations in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. 

The SIU has been tasked by President Cyril Ramaphosa to investigate allegations of serious corruption during COVID-19 from the UIF’s Temporary Employee Relief Scheme (TERS).  These operations are targeting R161 million allegedly stolen from the UIF’s COVID-19’s TERS by 16 companies and 35 persons with indications of syndicates involved. 

These seizures reinforce the UIF’s programme to follow the trail of payments made during COVID-19 to ensure that all monies paid are accounted for.  These raids are a welcome affirmation by the African National Congress’ led government’s efforts to cleanse the state of corruption.

The fact that the President had to issue a proclamation for the SIU to expedite such investigations in response to COSATU’s call for intervention, confirms the Federation’s long-standing fears of a UIF bedevilled by archaic systems that have enabled the cancer of corruption to spread across this important institution established to provide relief to workers during their moment of need. 

It is critical that the SIU, with the support of law enforcement, leave no stone unturned during these long-sought investigations.  Those who stole from the UIF, be they officials, members of society, employers or politicians must go to jail and their stolen properties be returned to the UIF.

It is long overdue that the UIF’s weak management and porous IT systems be overhauled.  Those involved in corruption in the UIF must be removed.  The cleansing and modernising of the UIF must be a matter of the highest priority.  It must be expedited and concluded during 2026.  It has been delayed for far too long. 

Workers deserve a well-run UIF where employers can register employees with ease, where workers’ deferred wages are secured, and where workers can access their maternity, parental and adoption leave, unemployment and temporary relief funds with ease.  The days of workers being made to queue for days at a time or being sent from pillar to post to access their funds must end.

COSATU will continue to push for this burning matter for workers to be prioritised, including through ongoing engagements at Nedlac.

Issued by COSATU

Matthew Parks (COSATU Parliamentary Coordinator)

Mobile: 082 785 0687

Email: matthew@cosatu.org.za