Payments from the COVID-19 Temporary Employee Relief Scheme (Ters) are set to continue once again from Monday, 21 September 2020.
The disbursements had been placed on hold after Auditor-General, Kimi Makwetu found that there were poor verification controls and financial management which led to funds being paid out to people who were not even eligible.
The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), which funds the scheme, has since scheduled multiple payments to fast track payments this week.
“While the AG has shown us a number of deficiencies in the payment of the Covid-19 Ters benefits, I must hasten to add that many of these deficiencies had been picked up already by management,” acting UIF commissioner Marsha Bronkhorst has said.
Following the findings, Labour and Employment Minister Thulas Nxesi announced he would be placing Teboho Maruping, the current UIF commissioner as well as other members of the Fund’s management, on suspension.
Outstanding information being processed
They will be undergoing a full payment run for April, May and June 2020 until Tuesday, 22 September 2020.
“After that, we will plan to run payments for the 1 July to 15 August 2020 period from 23 – 26 September 2020,” Bronkhorst said.
“We are aware that many workers around the country have been placed on the back foot as a result of the need to ensure that our systems stand up to scrutiny, and we close the gaps identified by the Auditor-General,” the acting UIF commissioner further said.
Bronkhorst has also acknowledged that while the inconvenience was greatly regretted, they have since managed to turn things around.
The Fund has further said only ‘competent’ claims should be filed and that incomplete forms will not be automatically processed.
“We still have claims that are yet to be processed in the system because of outstanding information,” Bronkhorst said.
“We urge employers to submit this information and we have made it easier for them to know what is still outstanding by developing the discrepancy tab in the system, and they can also use FAQs on the DEL website”
The COVID-19 TERS benefit applications for March 2020 to end May 2020 will only close on 25 September 2020, while the COVID-19 Ters benefit applications for June 2020 will close on 15 October 2020.
Read the original article on The South African
