Author: svadmin

The Department of Employment and Labour has announced that it is widening its investigation into the R219 million COVID TERS payments made to the Eastern Cape Transport Tertiary Co-operative (ECTCC).

This follows complaints from taxi drivers in Gqeberha, who recently claimed to have never received benefits claimed on their behalf.

In a statement, the department on Thursday said this was determined after a follow-up meeting with taxi drivers, taxi associations, the regional leadership of South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) and the ECTCC.

“During the meeting, the Unemployment Insurance Fund revealed that it has paid up to R219 million from claims received from the ECTCC, which were submitted on behalf of 62 employers, including taxi associations,” the department said.

The meeting was organised by Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality executive Mayor, Nqaba Bhanga.

Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) ICT Business Development Deputy Director, Viwe Gqoli, in the meeting revealed that the ECTCC initially submitted six COVID TERS [Temporary Employee/Employer Relief Scheme] claims covering 4 089 employees. Almost R20 million was consequently paid.

“In Gqeberha, we paid a total of R23 778 937.29 to Port Elizabeth & District Taxi Association and Uncedo Transport and Business Taxi Association, covering 5 472 taxi drivers. A total of 62 COVID TERS claims submitted on behalf of various employers by ECTCC were paid to the tune of R219 million and these payments covered 48 441 employees”, said Gqoli.

The UIF informed the meeting that it had blocked further payments to the ECTCC due to ongoing investigations.

“ECTCC appealed to the department to unblock the outstanding payments and consider re-opening the TERS system for them to lodge further claims.

“The department informed the meeting that law enforcement agencies have been roped in to assist with the probe into the matter and until that is finalised, no further payments can be made to ECTCC,” the department said.

It said it was committed to efforts aimed at bringing peace and stability in the taxi industry in the Nelson Mandela Metro and is prepared to work with all stakeholders to prevent further taxi protests in affected municipalities in the Eastern Cape.

Source: South African Government News Agency

With South Africa experiencing the third wave of COVID-19, Acting Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, has called on the business sector to comply with the Alert Level 3 regulations as the country continues to fight the pandemic.

“Taverns, shebeens, bars and alcohol establishments have become super spreaders themselves because [there is] no social distancing, we need to manage the number of people that go into these facilities, we can do better,” Ntshavheni said on Thursday.

Addressing a media briefing following law enforcement operations to monitor compliance with COVID-19 regulations at Pretoria taxi ranks, the Minister urged the liquor industry to enforce the regulations at its establishments.

“We understand that we need to balance saving lives and saving livelihoods. We need to try as a nation, business, government and society to [avoid going] back into a hard lockdown so that we can save jobs.

“If we all play our part, we will defeat this pandemic, we will make sure that [the] economy remains open and we will all be safe. If government is given a choice to save livelihoods or to save lives, we will choose to save lives because livelihoods we can rebuilt and lives we cannot rebuilt,” Ntshavheni said.

She commended the taxi industry for ensuring compliance with regulations.

During the ongoing operations to monitor compliance with government regulations and directions as the country remains under Level 3 lockdown of government’s risk adjusted strategy, Ntshavheni was joined by Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula, Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Jacob Mamabolo and Gauteng MEC responsible for Health, Dr Nomathemba Mokgethi.

“In playing our part towards halting the rapid spread of the pandemic, it is important that we strengthen compliance with health protocols. We have always made a commitment that we will not allow any mode of transport to be the enabler of the transmission of the COVID-19 virus.

“We have put strong measures in the transport sector, which include capacity restrictions. While these have contained the spread of the pandemic through your taxis, we are under no illusion about the devastating impact these had in your business,” Mbalula said.

Non-pharmaceutical measures that South Africans can comply with to prevent the virus include social distancing, wearing cloth masks to cover one’s nose, mouth and chin, washing hands with soap for 20 seconds, and or using a 70% alcohol-based sanitiser.

Mbalula said government remains encouraged by the co-operation, support and innovative leadership shown by the taxi industry in ensuring the safety of the commuting public and adherence to the rules.

“As a sector, we carry the burden of enabling economic activity whilst containing the spread of the virus. The 2020 National Travel Household Survey tells us that the market share of the taxi industry in transporting workers has increased from 67.6% in 2013 to 80.2% in 2020,” he said.

Source: South African Government News Agency