UIF conceals companies that stole millions in Ters funds

The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) on Tuesday said it won’t be naming and shaming companies that defrauded it of millions of rand in Temporary Employee/Employer Relief Scheme (Ters) funds.

The relief scheme, which was introduced at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, has paid out R61 billion over the last two years.

But the fund has told Parliament it’s acting on legal advice not to share details of illegal claim submissions.

The UIF said the Special Investigating Unit has received acknowledgment of debt for Ters fraud worth R42 million.

Of this amount, R33 million had already been paid back.

UIF Commissioner Teboho Maruping told Parliament’s standing committee on public accounts on Tuesday that the scheme remained vulnerable.

“As of 23 August, we had about R230 million the amount exposed to potential fraud. Of this amount, the Asset Forfeiture Unit was able to preserve R133 million, and R123 million of this has already been paid back to UIF,” Maruping said.

But the fund’s legal advisor Lucky Mkhonto said the culprits won’t be revealed: “The legal opinion having looked at our MOA (Memorandum of Agreement) there’s no basis that we have covered in the MOA to name and shame those who would have defrauded.

Ten cases involving 34 accused and seven companies are currently before the courts.

-EWN

In other news – Huge blow for Gomora fans as actress Velile Makhoba (Gugu) leaves the show

South African actress Velile Makhoba has bid farewell to the award-winning TV show Gomora, after her character came to an end.

The budding actress portrayed the character of Gugulethu in the telenovela, but all things pertaining to her character came to an end last week. Taking to her Instagram page she announced her exit and said Gomora has paved a golden road for her and sharpened her gift. Learn More