The Department of Employment and Labour is deepening its probe into the R219 million COVID-19 TERS payments made to the ECTCC, after complaints that some didn’t receive their claims.
On Thursday, 24 June 2021, the Department of Employment and Labour issued a media statement confirming that it would be deepening its probe into the R219 million COVID-19 Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme (TERS) payments made to the Eastern Cape Transport Tertiary Cooperative (ECTTC). This follows complaints from taxi drivers in Gqeberha, who claim that they have never received benefits claimed on their behalf.
The announcement was made in a follow-up meeting held between the department, taxi drivers, taxi associations, regional leadership of the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO), and the ECTTC. During the meeting, the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) revealed that it had paid up to R219 million in claims received from the ECTTC, which were submitted on behalf of 62 employers, including the taxi associations.
The 62 COVID-19 TERS claims submitted covered the payments of 48 441 employees. The UIF informed those in attendance that it had since blocked further payments to the ECTTC, due to the investigations that are currently underway. Even though the ECTTC has appealed to the department to unblock the outstanding payments and consider reopening the TERS system, the department reiterated that law enforcement agencies have been roped in to assist with the probe.
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See the post below.
[Statement] Department of Employment and Labour deepens probe of R219 million #Covid19TERS payments made to Eastern Cape Transport Tertiary Co-operative
Full statement: https://t.co/FZAHFxxFql pic.twitter.com/IsxjzIy3If
— Department of Employment and Labour (@deptoflabour) June 24, 2021
