ALIGNMENT No extension of UIF aid by govt
OUT IN THE COLD: GYMS, NIGHTCLUBS REMAIN CLOSED
Since April, relief scheme has paid out R26 billion to six million employees.
Industries that were still closed during the lockdown are now on their own as the department of labour has no further plans to aid those temporarily without income.
The UIF Temporary Employer-Employee Relief Scheme (Ters) closed for new applications on Tuesday after three months of providing relief to employers and employees affected by the lockdown.
Since the inception of Ters in April, R26 billion has been paid out to about six million employees.
The government reopened a number of economic sectors when the country moved to Level 3 of the lockdown in June. Later, this included the reopening of sit-down restaurants, hair salons and travel accommodation.
But gyms, nightclubs and flea markets remain closed.
Patience Sithole, personal trainer at a top gym company, is R19 000 behind in rent as she is struggling to make ends meet.
She has tried online training, which she couldn’t charge for as virtual training wasn’t part of their initial agreement. “I was depressed, I was crying and not eating. It was bad.
“In the first month, I had about five clients, who only paid me what they could. But now I luckily have one or two who paid me because they felt sorry for me since I’ve been with them for a long time.”
But such workers are now on their own as the department does not seem to be making any
aexceptions.
Asked how UIF or the labour department would help those working in industries which remain closed, spokesperson Makhosonke Buthelezi said: “The directives stipulated the time period for the Covid-19 Ters benefit to last for three months. Therefore, there is no extension of the scheme for industries that remain closed.”
He said, however, that the normal Ters scheme was available for companies in distress where they applied via [the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration] if they were in the throes of retrenchment.
Sithole said she wasn’t expecting many clients as “people are afraid” of the virus. “I am even thinking of going to open a credit card. That is my last option, which is something I didn’t even want.” –
No extension for industries that are still closed