Where your tax money goes — how the state spends every R100
Some of these expenditure categories seem a bit vague. Let's break them down:
Social security funds refers specifically to financial reserves and schemes like the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), and the Compensation Fund, which provide temporary relief of cover for specific social risks.
Community development typically includes spending on housing, local amenities, and urban or rural development projects aimed at improving living conditions, especially in under-resourced areas.
Economic regulation and infrastructure covers the funding of regulatory bodies as well as infrastructure investments in roads, railways, ports, and other public utilities.
Public administration and fiscal affairs involves the National Treasury, tax collection, budgeting, auditing, and general bureaucratic oversight.
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Daily Maverick
06-08-2025
- Daily Maverick
How to unlock your UIF benefits: dodge the delays, get your money
Many Unemployment Insurance Fund applicants experience frustrating delays and confusing procedures. Knowing what documents you need and how to avoid the pitfalls can save you time. The UIF offers support through various types of claims, including unemployment benefits for those who lose their jobs, illness benefits for contributors unable to work due to health reasons, maternity benefits for expectant mothers, adoption benefits for those adopting children, and dependant benefits, which provide financial support to family members of deceased contributors. To qualify for Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) benefits, you need to have contributed to the fund while employed and you must now be unemployed because of retrenchment, contract expiration or your employer's bankruptcy. 'Generally, you cannot claim if you resigned, were suspended or absconded, unless you can prove constructive dismissal through the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration,' Omashni Leeladhar, an attorney specialising in labour and employment and the director of Omashni Leeladhar Attorneys, said. Get your documents in order To apply, you need the following documents: A valid South African ID or passport, or asylum seeker document for non-citizens; Application for benefits (UI-2.1 form); Your employer's declaration of employment and termination (UI-19 form). Confirmation of bank details, stamped by your bank (UI-2.8 form); If you are claiming for reduced working hours, you need to fill in the UI-2.7 form; Your two most recent payslips; and Proof of registration as a job seeker (with the Department of Employment and Labour). Leeladhar noted that 'incomplete or incorrect documentation is the biggest cause of delays and rejections'. Maternity benefits Women can also claim maternity benefits when going on maternity leave. Maternity benefits provide financial relief during leave, payable for up to 17 weeks (121 days), with shorter payments of six weeks for stillbirth or miscarriage in the third trimester. Applications can be submitted online via the UIF's uFiling system or in person at a labour centre. You will need the same documents listed above as well as medical or birth certificates, and payslips. Claims should be made at least eight weeks before the expected birth date or within six months after birth. How to claim and what can go wrong Navigating the UIF process successfully means keeping careful track of deadlines and official requirements. According to Luzan Thuynsma, a labour relations specialist at Labour Law with Luzan, claims should be submitted within six to twelve months of losing your job. You have two options for submission – online via the uFiling system or in person at your nearest labour centre. The online process involves registering via uFiling with your ID number, email and cellphone number; uploading all required forms and confirming your details; and waiting for confirmation via SMS or email. Alternatively, you can visit a labour centre to apply in person and get direct assistance from claims officers. However, this is likely to be a lengthy process. 'Many claimants face lengthy delays beyond the processing window, long queues at labour centres and ongoing issues with the online application platform,' Sanisha Packirisamy, chief economist at Momentum Investments, said. One claimant, Christopher Senyolo, an instrumentation draughtsman who lost his job last year, filed his claim in January and initially received payments on time. However, when the UIF moved to an online signing system in June, he was turned away from the office and told to sign online. Unfortunately, the system failed to register his claim, causing further delays. Despite submitting his request online on 26 June, he remained unpaid after the usual processing period of seven to 14 days. Senyolo described the process as 'tedious due to constant back-and-forth,' citing 'incorrect information captured by officials and inconsistent updates between the system and what staff told me in person.' Leeladhar summed up the situation, saying, 'when the system works, it acts as a stabiliser. When it doesn't, it becomes yet another fracture in an already fragile social contract.' How much do you get? The UIF calculates your average monthly salary based on your earnings over the past six months. This salary is capped at a maximum amount of R17,712 per month. If you earn more than this, the calculation will be based on the capped amount. The fund does not pay 100% of your salary; 'instead, it uses a sliding scale where lower-income earners receive a higher percentage of their salary (up to 60%), while higher-income earners receive a lower percentage (as low as 38%),' Leeladhar explained. She also noted that 'the benefit amount is paid on a sliding scale for the first 238 days (38-60%) and then at a flat rate of 20% for any days from 239 up to 365.' UIF payments are also determined by the number of 'credit days' a claimant has accumulated. Credit days are earned at a rate of one day for every four days worked. These credit days represent the total number of days for which you can claim UIF benefits, with a maximum of 365 credit days accumulated over four years. A single claim application can result in a maximum of 238 consecutive days of payment. Essentially, the more days you work and contribute to UIF, the more credit days you earn, which then determines the amount and duration of your UIF payments, subject to these limits. Ongoing eligibility Once a claim ends, you can apply for UIF again, provided you have accumulated new credit days. The number of new credit days you have accumulated will determine how long your new claim will last. The UIF keeps a record of your contributions over a four-year cycle, and any new claim will be based on the contributions made since your last claim ended. To continue receiving UIF benefits, you must actively look for employment. This means you have to register as a 'work seeker' with the Department of Employment and Labour as part of your UIF application process. To maintain your claim, Thuynsma highlighted the importance of signing a UI-6A continuation form every four weeks and presenting a white card—a document stamped at your labour centre visits to prove ongoing unemployment and job seeking—to confirm continued eligibility. Payment timeline After your UIF application is approved, payments usually takes three to 10 working days to process as the UIF verifies banking details, checks balances, and schedules the payment. Direct bank deposits are the fastest way to collect your money, typically clearing within one to three business days at most South African banks, while manual collections or third-party channels may cause delays. Payments approved near weekends or public holidays might be delayed until the next working day. Delays can also result from incorrect banking information, missing documents, or system issues, so it's important to keep your details updated and regularly check your UIF status online or contact the UIF call centre if necessary. Seeking recourse Given the challenges that many face in accessing UIF benefits, it's not uncommon for claims to be rejected, and seeking recourse can be a necessary step. If you're considering an appeal, it's important to follow the proper procedure: Complete the Notice of Appeal form accurately, providing full personal and employer details; Clearly state the decision you are appealing and the reasons it is unjust; Submit the appeal in writing to the regional appeals committee within 90 days of receiving the refusal; and Attach any supporting documents or evidence relevant to your case. Many resources, including official Department of Employment and Labour offices and legal aid organisations, can help claimants with the paperwork and appeal process. Tips to improve your chances Leeladhar has the following tips for those planning to apply and successfully claim for their UIF benefits: Apply promptly – within six months of job loss; Complete all forms accurately and submit all required documents; Register as a jobseeker as soon as you possibly can; Follow up persistently with your employer to ensure timely UI-19 submission; Use uFiling online where possible, but do visit labour centres if technical problems persist; and Attend all scheduled signings or complete them online regularly. DM This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper and has been amended with additional information.
Eyewitness News
04-08-2025
- Eyewitness News
Lamola assures SA exporters govt won't ignore their concerns over US tariffs
JOHANNESBURG - International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola has moved to assure South African exporters that the government won't ignore their concerns over the impact of the hefty United States tariffs on their operations and bottom lines. Lamola revealed part of a package of interventions for South African exporters expected to be hardest hit by the tariffs. This includes farmers and manufacturers. While trade negotiations are continuing, government said an economic response package will help cushion the blow. ALSO READ: Govt intervening to cushion blow of harsh US tariffs on local businesses - Ramaphosa Lamola said this includes measures to assist companies to absorb the tariff and facilitate long-term growth strategies to protect jobs and productive capacity in South Africa. "We are also working with the Department of Labour on measures to mitigate potential job losses, using existing instruments such as the UIF that can be adjusted to respond to the current challenges." Lamola was joined by Trade and Industry Minister Parks Tau, who said the localisation fund support stands ready to provide targeted competitiveness and efficiency support. "The fact that the localisation support fund is on board, the department of labour is on board, in terms of modelling the support packages, seeks to mitigate the impact of these decisions."
TimesLIVE
04-08-2025
- TimesLIVE
South Africa outlines support measures in response to US tariffs
The government on Monday outlined support measures for local companies that will be hit by a 30% US tariff this week, including exemptions from some competition rules and financial support facilities. It also dismissed speculation that its failure to negotiate a lower tariff was because of its local affirmative action policies, which US President Donald Trump has criticised. South Africa has tried for months to negotiate a deal with Washington, offering to buy US liquefied natural gas and invest $3.3bn (R59.29bn) in US industries in a 'framework deal' proposed to Trump's team. But the effort was unsuccessful, even after Pretoria made a last-minute attempt to improve its offer. Government officials say the US tariff could cause tens of thousands of job losses, especially in the agriculture and car-making industries, as Trump pushes to reshape global trade in favour of the US. Addressing a press conference, trade, industry and competition minister Parks Tau and foreign minister Ronald Lamola said a 'block exemption' from some aspects of the Competition Act was being developed that would allow competitors to collaborate and co-ordinate. They said the exemption would be published by the end of this week. The government is also working on a support programme, which will include a working capital facility and plant and equipment facility, and ways to cushion the impact of job losses via the Unemployment Insurance Fund. The ministers said South Africa posed no 'trade threat to the US economy nor its national security', emphasising that its exports supported the US industrial base and often do not compete with US products. Lamola did not want to focus on speculation the country faces such a high tariff because of points of tension with the US like its policies to address racial inequality or genocide case against Israel at the World Court, which Trump opposes. He said South Africa would continue to engage with US counterparts on the basis of the framework deal it had submitted. Trade officials said an export support desk would try to help companies enter new markets by linking them up with embassies and potential buyers. A more detailed set of support measures will be discussed at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday
