Minister’s Failure to Submit Annual UIF Report Costs Taxpayers Big

Dear Editor

The DA has written to Labour and Employment Minister, Nomakhosazana Meth, requesting her to provide reasons for the delay in tabling the UIF Annual Report.

Minister Meth’s failure to submit the Unemployment Insurance Fund’s (UIF) 2023/24 Annual Report to the Select Committee on Economic Development and Trade is a matter of serious concern.

In a formal letter dated 13 December 2024, Minister Meth requested an extension for the submission of the UIF’s Annual Report, citing delays and challenges. The Minister undertook to ensure that the report would be tabled on, or before 31 January 2025. The Committee, in good faith and in line with its oversight responsibilities, rescheduled its meeting to 2 April 2025 to accommodate this extension.

As of today, the report has still not been tabled.

This failure to deliver the report has resulted in the cancellation of the scheduled meeting, which was to include critical briefings from the Auditor-General of South Africa and the UIF on the Fund’s audit outcomes and overall performance for the 2023/24 financial year.

The moment a Portfolio Committee meeting in Parliament is cancelled, it costs the taxpayer tens of thousands of rands. The failure to table this report therefore has tangible and significant costs to the taxpayers, who are paying for this ongoing delay.

The failure to submit the report undermines Parliament’s constitutional mandate of oversight and accountability. The executive accounts to Parliament, not the other way around. The lack of urgency and respect for timelines by the Ministry reflects a disregard for the principles of transparency, governance, and service delivery that our democracy demands.

The Ministry needs to remember that the UIF is not merely a statutory fund; it is a social safety net for millions of vulnerable South Africans. Delays in accountability measures directly affect public trust and hinder efforts to improve performance and address inefficiencies within the Fund.

The UIF plays a critical role as a development instrument within the social security context, in government and job creation initiatives. Therefore, the DA is pleased that the Committee has formally written to the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces requesting her intervention by referring the matter to the Leader of Government Business, Deputy President, Paul Mashatile.

Regards

Sonja Boshoff MP
DA Member of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP)