Chaos reigns at Bellville labour department

It took more than a year for Brackenfell resident Stephan Evans to get his money from the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) at the Department of Employment and Labour office in Bellville, Cape Town.

Customers complain about queuing from dawn and still not receiving help, a dysfunctional online system, delayed payments, bad treatment and rude officials.

Evans first registered online in May last year. When he didn’t get feedback, he visited the Bellville offices on February 27 this year.

He went again on May 31. “I got there before 6am,” he said. By 11am he was served, but was told his paperwork was incomplete and needed signatures from his former employer and the bank. He returned the day after but was told to come back another time because there was load-shedding.

“I went back a week later. After about seven hours of waiting in the queue when I got in front I was told the system is offline.”

By August 1 he still hadn’t been paid. “No-one answers the phones when you call,” he said. “You need to be there at 5am again and wait until probably after 2pm to get helped. They really are pathetic.”

Evans was finally paid on August 21.

On a visit to the offices at 7am on September 7, there was already a long queue. A man was renting stools for R3.

Litany of delays

Gail Lewis had travelled from Bishop Lavis and was third in the queue after joining it at 3am. She said the officials admitted about 30 people, mainly pregnant women and elderly people. She said she had been waiting for UIF payment after she lost her job of 28 years in June.

“This is my fifth time coming here. The first time I came they said my documents weren’t right. The second time there was load-shedding and we were turned away. The third time the system was offline. The fourth time they said my papers were right but I should register online to receive payment. After that I didn’t receive any money or message to say when the money would be paid. That is why I am back to find out what the holdup is,” Lewis said.

“I must pay R150 to people who bring me here and I am unemployed. So far I’ve borrowed R800 for transport from money lenders. I must pay interest. I can’t manage my household bills, I’ve no money to buy groceries and pay for school transport.”

Randall Julies has been trying to claim UIF since April. “Three weeks ago I was standing here on the same spot after many failed attempts to get help, Julies said.

“The official said I am standing in the wrong queue and I must come back. I told the official that was not the way to work with people: rather guide them before they join the queue. He was rude and insisted that I leave. So I am back again today.”

Another person in the queue who did not want to be identified said he had been waiting for hours. “It is always full here and I wonder why they don’t employ more people. At 4am I was at the taxi rank. I arrived here at 5am from Kuils River and the queue was already at the corner. I have been coming here since June.

“Most of these people in front of me are not going to be helped today, including those with babies on their backs. Two hours before load-shedding they are going to come and dismiss us. One time they just came and told us that the computers were off.”

National problem

Cosatu spokesperson Matthew Parks said there was a problem at UIF offices across the country, not just in Bellville. “Workers struggle to access what is due to them when they apply to the UIF. This is because of the inefficiencies at the UIF and also employers failing to pay their funds to the UIF.”

Parks said Cosatu was working with the UIF and the National Economic Development and Labour Council to resolve the problems.

The labour department failed to comment on the matter, despite assurance it would do so.

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