Acting DG Molisane Pledges Intensified UIF and CF Access for Former Mine Workers

Acting Director-General Jacky Molisane said the department will intensify efforts to improve access to services provided by the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) and the Compensation Fund (CF), while working closely with partners to ensure former mine workers receive the dignity, support and benefits they deserve.

“The Department of Employment and Labour, through the Unemployment Insurance Fund and the Compensation Fund, continues to implement interventions aimed at improving access to social protection and compensation benefits for workers, including former mine workers,” Molisane said.

Molisane was addressing an ex-mineworkers’ stakeholder session held at Port St Johns, Eastern Cape. The meeting sought to resolve outstanding issues relating to compensation claims and access to social security benefits for former mine workers.

The session brought together the Department of Employment and Labour, the Eastern Cape provincial government led by Premier Oscar Mabuyane, the Compensation Fund, Rand Mutual Assurance, the National Department of Health, the South African Medical Association, and various stakeholders.

Addressing issues

The initiative forms part of a coordinated intervention to address historical injustices experienced by ex-mine workers. Discussions focused on strengthening coordination and mobilising resources for the Ex-Mineworkers Intervention Programme.

The stakeholders' session concluded a week-long multidisciplinary government outreach campaign that brought services directly to communities in Port St Johns and surrounding areas.

Services included workplace inspections, processing UIF and Compensation Fund claims for occupational injuries and diseases, career counselling and the registration of workseekers on the Employment Services of South Africa (Essa) system.

The Medical Bureau for Occupational Diseases (MBOD) and the Compensation Commissioner for Occupational Diseases (CCOD), Barry Kistnasamy, said an estimated R10bn in compensation claims remains unpaid to ex-mine workers nationwide.

Improvements required

The Eastern Cape Premier called for improved information sharing. "I cannot accept excuses that databases cannot be accessed when we are trying to alleviate the suffering of our people. It is unfortunate that the rewards of workers' efforts have not followed them home," the Premier said.

Molisane acknowledged the contribution of the Office of the Premier, Rand Mutual Assurance, the Thubelisha Project, organised labour, community structures, and all stakeholders for their continued efforts to address challenges facing ex-mine workers.

She reiterated that the Compensation Fund remains a critical pillar in supporting workers who suffered occupational injuries and diseases in the course of their employment, while the UIF continues to provide unemployment, illness, maternity, dependants' and other qualifying benefits.

"The fund's outreach programmes have been instrumental in taking services closer to communities and ensuring vulnerable citizens are not excluded from accessing their rights," she said.

Despite progress, Molisane said significant challenges remain, including incomplete documentation, historical employment records, benefit tracing and limited access to services.

"These challenges require a collective response from government, social partners and community stakeholders," she said.

Impacted workers

According to Molisane, the Eastern Cape has contributed approximately 370,000 ex-mine workers to the national total of about one million since 1965, making it one of the provinces most affected by the legacy of labour migration.

She said many former mine workers had been exposed to occupational hazards such as silica dust, resulting in high rates of tuberculosis, silicosis, coal workers' pneumoconiosis (black lung disease), other occupational lung diseases, workplace injuries and fatalities.

Since 2019, the UIF has paid R16.7m in benefits to 5,625 former mine workers, Molisane said.