A SUBSTANTIAL portion of the R30 billion in unclaimed benefits in the Unemployed Insurance Fund (UIF) was due to ex-mineworkers. This was revealed by Godfrey Oliphant, deputy minister of Mineral Resources.
According to Oliphant, the legacy of the migrant labour system was partly the reason for unclaimed funds that have accumulated in the UIF.
Since 2013, through measures taken, he said approximately 14 000 ex-mineworkers in the Eastern Cape who had unclaimed benefits in the Department of Labour and the Department of Health, received compensation benefits amounting to R40 million and 8 000 received UIF benefits amounting to R14 million. He said outreach activities were planned for other districts, including the Eastern Cape and Welkom.
