Latest news with #UIF
IOL News
4 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
Labour unions demand action against security companies for failing to pay employee benefits
Members of various labour unions marched in Pietermaritzburg to the provincial legislature to demand that the provincial government blacklist security companies that are not contributing to their employees' benefits despite deducting from salaries. Image: Bongani Hans KwaZulu-Natal government-contracted security companies have been accused of not contributing to their employees' medical aid, provident funds, and Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) despite deducting from their salaries for that purpose. A group of labour unions, including the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), marched to the provincial legislature on Tuesday demanding the provincial government to blacklist 41 companies alleged to be shortchanging their employees. The Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSiRA) was also aware of such illegal practice. 'We refer such complaints to the National Bargaining Council of the Private Security Sector (NBCPSS) for investigations and possibly recouping such monies. 'A lot of them (companies) claim to have registered with the provident fund and UIF, but do not pay it (employees' deductions) over to such institutions, but such businesses are taken to task by NBCPSS and PSiRA,' said PSiRA spokesperson Bonang Kleinbooi. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ During the protest march, five unions that were affiliated with the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) and the South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) handed a memorandum to the provincial legislature for Premier Thami Ntuli's attention. Ntuli's spokesperson, Bongani Gina, commended the unions for providing the government with a list of transgressing companies that were contracted by various departments. He said the government would work with the NBCPSS in investigating the matter. 'This matter requires a detailed assessment of each contract. 'The Office of the Premier assures the unions and the public that this matter will receive the attention it deserves, and we look forward to working towards a resolution that protects the rights and welfare of security guards,' said Gina. The unions said the 41 companies were among more than 1,500 others in the province that were breaching the NBCPSS collective agreement. 'Fraudulent deductions affect about 90,000 active security officers in KwaZulu-Natal, depriving them of their rightful benefits, such as health insurance and a provident fund, because of these dishonest and irregular and fraudulent deductions,' read the memorandum. 'They alleged that the security guards, who were mostly poorly paid, would lose R15.5 million in medical cover, R65.9 million of provident fund, and over R13 million of UIF per month to 'these unscrupulous and corrupt security companies'. 'This has a negative impact on security officers when they retire or have their contracts terminated,' said the unions. According to the NBCPSS's Main Collective Agreement, which is governed by the Labour Relations Act (LRA), security companies should be registered with the Private Security Sector Fund (PSSPF) and NBCPSS Health Insurance and also pay basic salaries, including allowances, overtime, and levies. 'This grand theft, fraud, and exploitation of security officers is not only a general disregard of the law but a major risk to the reputation of the provincial government,' unions said. They called on Ntuli to ensure that the government departments were not participating in the exploitation of security officers. 'As the custodian of the provincial purse, the premier should be the first to always remember his obligations in terms of the LRA and adopt measures to promote, protect, and fulfil workers' rights as enshrined in the Main Collective Agreement.' South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) secretary Nothemba Dlamini said some security guards would not receive their salaries for up to three months. South African National Security Employers Association (SANSEA) secretary Steve Condadie stated that some companies that are affiliated with his association were also victims of the government department's delay in paying for services. But he stressed that companies that were not transferring deductions to the relevant entities were acting illegally. 'One or two companies that are affiliated with us have said they were not involved in failing to transfer the deductions. 'But they said the provincial government was delaying in paying for the services they rendered on time, with one of them saying it has not been paid since December last year,' said Condadie.
The Citizen
4 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Looming tax deadline and glitches cause frustration
Additional measures were implemented to help taxpayers stay compliant – and if not for the 'procrastinators' the problem 'could have been fixed' by now. The chances of an extension to Friday's deadline are slim. Picture: AdobeStock In the run-up to this year's filing season, employers are battling to meet the deadline for submission of their annual employer reconciliation declarations to the South African Revenue Service (Sars). The deadline is Friday. Employers experienced glitches after Sars released an updated version of e@syFile, the software used to reconcile and validate the payroll data and electronic employee tax certificates submitted to Sars. Employers submit monthly declarations, and the annual declaration (EMP501) reflects all the payments made in terms of employee pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) tax, Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) contributions, and employee tax incentive (ETI) and skills development (SDL) levies. ALSO READ: 'Sars needs to play catch up,' says Kieswetter as tax collector goes digital System issues The system error forced Sars to make additional channels and measures available to enable employers to submit their information on time, says Ettiene Retief, independent tax specialist. The new version created 'unexpected' issues where employers were unable to submit their EMP501 returns. Following complaints from several recognised controlling bodies that represent tax practitioners, Sars acknowledged the problems. It gave employers access to the older version when they could not solve their issues with the new version, and addressed issues through a dedicated email support channel. Retief says the newer version might have been incompatible with specific anti-virus programmes used by employers or tax practitioners. System updates by employer payroll systems may also have caused the incompatibility with e@syFile. 'There are also procrastinators. We have had two months to deal with issues – if people started engaging earlier, the problem could have been fixed already,' he adds. ALSO READ: Sars beats expectations by collecting R1.855 trillion in 2024/25 tax year The go-between The Sars e@syFile software plays 'middleman' in the validation and reconciliation of the employer's payroll system and the validation of the electronic IRP5 tax certificate that is submitted to Sars. This enables Sars to pre-populate the tax returns of almost four million individual taxpayers, and those with more complicated tax affairs can submit their tax returns with correct tax information. According to Sars, the three elements that must reconcile for employer submissions include: Monthly employer declarations submitted (PAYE, SDL, UIF and ETI); Payments made (excluding penalty and interest payments); and IRP5/IT3(a)s generated. The chances of an extension of Friday's deadline are slim. Sars only has a month to process the information and start pre-populating tax returns for the start of the July filing season. 'If one deadline moves, it moves everything and that causes its own complications,' says Retief. Another system glitch that frustrated taxpayers and practitioners last month was the inability to upload documentation relating to value-added tax (Vat) returns. 'As far as I am aware the issues were addressed.' ALSO READ: Sars records increase in taxpayers who filed returns Refund delays André Daniels, head of tax controversy and dispute resolution at Tax Consulting SA, says taxpayers and tax practitioners alike are reporting a surge in delayed refunds. Sars is citing 'pending verifications or audits' – but only after a manual status check is performed. 'This is not a procedural glitch – this is a systemic failure with serious financial implications,' Daniels said in a recent statement. In many cases Sars has requested further verification documentation without issuing any formal notification through eFiling or via email. 'Making matters worse, there is often no link available to upload the required documents because no verification or audit letter was ever generated.' Daniels says even if the link is provided and documentation uploaded, additional assessments are subsequently issued, stating that the 'burden of proof' was not discharged. His advice to taxpayers is to act proactively and to confirm whether any verifications or audits have been raised behind the scenes. He also advises taxpayers to use the dispute resolution steps to correct assessments where appropriate. Retief notes that Sars is constantly upgrading, adding and changing its systems and programmes as part of its modernisation and digitalisation drive. It is normal that there will be glitches. Sars is generally alerted to problems and issues through the different representative bodies. 'I know there were issues, but Sars was quick to respond and solve some of it.' This article was republished from Moneyweb. Read the original here.
IOL News
6 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
Urgent intervention by KZN Cogta as Mpendle Municipality fails to pay full salaries
The Mpendle Local Municipality failed to pay its employees their full salaries this month. Image: Pixabay The Mpendle Local Municipality in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands has failed to pay full salaries and benefits to its workers this month. The revelations have angered labour union federation Cosatu who said they hoped this situation will not occur in other municipalities. The Officer of the Auditor-General South Africa has recently raised concerns about the financial woes of some KZN municipalities. A Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) official stated that in all his years with the department in KwaZulu-Natal, this was the first time he had ever heard of a municipality not paying workers' wages and benefits in full. In a statement, the Cogta department said: "Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs department MEC Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi has assigned senior officials to engage with the leadership of the Mpendle Local Municipality. This action follows reports indicating the municipality's inability to fully compensate its employees." It said the department has received concerning information regarding the municipality's financial standing, including: Partial salary payments to workers Failure to remit third-party deductions, such as UIF, pension fund contributions, and medical aid payments Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ The department said these actions have caused unnecessary hardship for the workers in the municipality, who now find themselves without their due compensation and benefits. It said Cogta's senior officials would meet with the municipality's leadership to ascertain the root causes of the financial irregularities and the steps being taken to correct them, as well as to implement consequence management. The department said the MEC remained committed to ensuring that all municipalities within the province adhere to their constitutional obligations and uphold principles of good governance and fiscal discipline. The department said it will implement necessary mechanisms to ensure compliance and accountability. Labour union federation Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) said they had been made aware of the situation on Monday.
Time Business News
6 days ago
- Business
- Time Business News
SRD Status Check: How to Track Your SASSA R350 Grant Application
If you're a South African who applied for the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant, you've probably wondered—'How do I check my SASSA R350 or R370 grant application status?' You're not alone. Millions rely on this vital support from the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), especially after the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this guide, we'll walk you through everything you need to know about the SRD Status Check, how to track your application, understand different statuses like 'Pending' or 'Declined,' and find out when you'll get paid. Whether you're using your mobile phone, the SASSA website, or a data-free app, this article is here to help you through the process in a simple and human way. The Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant was introduced in May 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim? To provide financial relief to unemployed South Africans and those not receiving any other form of income support, like UIF or NSFAS. Initially, the monthly grant amount was R350. However, starting April 2024, it was increased to R370. The grant continues to serve as a lifeline for millions. Before you can collect your payment, you must make sure your application is approved. SASSA sends SMS notifications to applicants who are approved, along with a payment date. No SMS? No payout. That's where the SRD Status Check comes in—it helps you track the progress of your application, see if it's approved, and find out when your money will be available. Let's quickly go over the different statuses you might see when checking your SASSA grant: Pending : Your application is still being reviewed. : Your application is still being reviewed. Approved : Your application has been accepted, and you will receive payment. : Your application has been accepted, and you will receive payment. Declined : Unfortunately, your application didn't meet the requirements. : Unfortunately, your application didn't meet the requirements. Failed : There was an error processing your application—this might need a manual fix. : There was an error processing your application—this might need a manual fix. Reapplication Required: You'll need to resubmit some information. Payment dates are critical! You'll need to wait for an SMS confirmation before collecting your grant. Here's the payout schedule for May 2025: Payday Payment Date Monday May 26, 2025 Tuesday May 27, 2025 Wednesday May 28, 2025 Thursday May 29, 2025 Friday May 30, 2025 Saturday May 31, 2025 If you didn't receive an SMS on one of these days, your status is probably still pending or needs attention. Besides the SRD grant, other grants like the Older Persons, Disability, and Children's grants follow a predictable schedule. Here's a quick reference: Month Older Persons Disability Grant Children's Grant January 2024 03 Jan 04 Jan 05 Jan February 2024 02 Feb 05 Feb 06 Feb March 2024 05 Mar 06 Mar 07 Mar … … … … May 2025 06 May 07 May 08 May These dates are useful if you're collecting more than one type of SASSA grant. You've got options! Whether you prefer online, mobile, or even data-free methods—there's something for everyone. Visit Enter your ID number and phone number, click 'Check Status,' and boom—your SRD grant status shows up in seconds. Head to Enter your ID and phone number to get your real-time status. Find this ID in the email you received when applying. You can use it to log into the SASSA portal and get detailed status updates. Don't have data? Download the Moya App. Navigate to the 'Discovery' tab, select 'SASSA,' and check your status by entering your ID and phone number—no mobile data needed! Send a WhatsApp message to 0600 123 456. Provide your full name and AppID. You'll get your status from a SASSA representative in the same chat. Dial any of the following: 120 69277# 69277# 134 7737# 7737# 120 3210# Enter your application ID and phone number when prompted to get a free status update via SMS. If your payment method is via bank transfer, simply visit the ATM after your scheduled payment date and check your balance. If it shows R370, your grant has been paid. Download the official SASSA SRD R350 mobile app. It lets you check your application status, appeal results, and reconsideration status all in one place. Don't panic if your application is declined or marked as failed. Here's what you can do: Check the reason: Usually provided with the status. Appeal: Go back to the SASSA website and click on the appeal section. Update your information: Make sure your phone number, bank details, and ID are correct. Some of the common reasons include: You're already receiving other financial aid (e.g., UIF or NSFAS). You have incorrect or outdated information. Your monthly income is over the threshold. Keep your ID and phone number updated. Check your status regularly using the methods above. Never ignore a 'Pending' status—follow up on it. Make sure your bank details are correct and match your ID. Doing your SRD Status Check is one of the most important steps after applying for the SASSA grant. Whether you're approved, pending, or declined—knowing your application status gives you clarity and helps you plan your finances accordingly. If you're looking for a reliable and updated source to check your SASSA grant status, you can always visit It's quick, user-friendly, and provides real-time updates about your SRD application. If you found this guide helpful, make sure to bookmark it or share it with someone who also relies on the SASSA R370 grant. Times are tough—but staying informed helps a lot. Let us know if you have any questions or need further help in the comments below! TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Daily Maverick
21-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Maverick
Where your tax money goes — how the state spends every R100
Ever wonder where your taxes are going? Budget 3.0 lays it bare: For every R100 spent, about R13 goes to basic education, R12 to social protection and more than R16 vanishes into debt service costs. Meanwhile, just cents trickle towards arts, job creation and innovation. 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.
