1. Presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Labour
Progress Report on Ex Mineworkers
26 January 2011
Department of Labour:

2. Background information
The People’s assembly took place in Bhizana in the Eastern Cape from – 19 September 2007.
Parliament established the Ad hoc committee on matters relating to the Ex Mineworkers Union.
A motion was tabled in the National Assembly on September 19, 2007 to establish a Committee to look into the concerns of the Ex Mineworkers Union.
Department of Labour:

3. Background information
The following recommendations were made by the Committee:
The Establishment of an Interdepartmental Task Team consisting of the Department of Labour, Department of Health, Department of Minerals and Energy and National Treasury
The main objectives of the Task Team should be:
To process the findings and recommendations
To trace all the monies that belong to the ex mineworkers and once trace,
Publish regular reports on both the electronic and print media
Department of Labour:

4. Background information
The Interdepartmental Task Team should be headed by a Senior Official form the Department of Labour
All the claims have to be processed from one office which should be co -ordinated and managed by the ITT
Monies of ex mineworkers that can not be traced must be transferred to the state
All documents kept by stakeholders that could assist in tracing beneficiaries should be surrendered to the ITT and kept by the Department of Labour
The Portfolio Committee on Labour should play an oversight role in the implementation of the recommendations and should receive regular briefings from the ITT
Department of Labour:

5. Overall Progress since recommendations
The Interdepartmental Task Team and the Provincial Steering Committee have been constituted by the Department of Labour.
Regular meetings have been held by the Interdepartmental Task Team and the Provincial Steering Committee
The Interdepartmental Task Team has made recommendations to the Portfolio Committee of Labour after it was constituted
Ex mine workers have started to receive payments from the Department of Health and the Department of Labour
Contact with TEBA has been made
Department of Labour:

6. Overall Progress
The former Minister Of Labour, has addressed the ex mine workers and announced through the media the work of the Interdepartmental Task Team
He urged those who have legitimate claims to come forward and urged them to bring adequate documentation to validate their claims.
He also engaged TEBA to provide the Interdepartmental Task Team with outstanding information.
Department of Labour:

7. The Brief
As per the Labour Portfolio Committee’s request, the Department of Labour (DoL), through the UI Commissioner as the Chairperson of IDTT will:
Provide feedback on the progress made so far on the issue
of payment of ex mineworkers
Brief the Committee on the challenges faced by Department of Labour,
Department of Health and Rand Mutual Assurance and the possible solutions to the challenges.
Department of Labour:

8. Unemployment Insurance Fund
DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR (UIF)
Progress
A total of 567 payments to the value of R2,5m has been paid to ex mine workers. In the last presentation to the Portfolio Committee on the 16th November 2011, we reported the payment of 442 ex mine workers and a total amount of R2m. The progress is an additional 125 exmine workers and an additional R500K.
Challenges facing the Department of Labour
Information with regard to the period of service in the mine is not available.
Information about the last salary of the claimants is not available.
Some of the applicants do not have Bank accounts
Department of Labour:

9. Proposed Solutions
Additional information is needed to accelerate payment.
We have been able to get hold of TEBA and we have supplied them with the request for additional information to facilitate payments.
Phase two has started and new applications and new lists are being taken. Exmine workers submit applications UIF Head Office.
Department of Labour:

10. Department of Health Progress
Only six payments have been paid since the appearance of the task team in Parliament.
71 applications are being processed
65 queries have been raised on the applications
There are 40 applications which have not been opened.
Department of Labour:

11. Department of Health: Challenges
More than one claimants for a claim
Lack of adequate information to process claims hence, there are queries that have been raised in certain applications.
Only R2m disbursed out of R20 m which is equivalent to only 10% of the available amount to be claimed.
CCOD is experiencing some difficulty in obtaining legitimate claimants through the names on the list given.
Department of Labour:

12. Department of Health: Proposed Solutions
Leadership of ex mine workers will help to provide outstanding information.
Second phase of taking applications has been initiated.
The Provincial Steering Committee has discussed this process in their meeting.
Advocacy campaigns will be conducted through the media. .
Department of Labour:

13. Rand Mutual Assurance
RMA has received a list of claimants from ex mine workers
All the cases have been checked against the records of the of RMA. Only 20 cases have been registered with RMA and have subsequently been finalised.
Department of Labour:

14. Overall Challenges facing the Project
Lack of resources ring fenced to execute the task such as:
Finance – there is no budget that has been allocated to the activities of the Inter Departmental Task Team. The Department of Labour is paying for the activities of the Interdepartmental Task Team.
Human Resources – lack of full time staff allocated to the Interdepartmental Task Team. Staff do their normal day to day activities over and above the IDTT.
Department of Labour:

15. RESPONSES TO CONCERNS RAISED
CRITERIA TO PAY: UIF processes:
The (ex) worker must have worked for the mines;
The period of employment and salary must have been captured on the UIF Database;
The worker must have a 13 digit bar coded id number;
The period of employment must be prior to 01/4/2002;
Department of Labour:

16. RESPONSES TO CONCERNS RAISED
The ex mineworker must have completed an application form for consideration;
Bank account details must be submitted;
An affidavit must be submitted (not compulsory);
In the case of a Death claim, preference is given to the wife of the deceased;
The date of death must be prior to 01/4/2002;
The deceased must have worked for at least 13 weeks during the 5 years immediately preceding the date of death of the contributor;
The claim is checked against the historical database and if it is established that a claim was received and settled then no new claim will be considered;
Finally, the ex mine worker must have credits.
Department of Labour:

17. Thank you
Department of Labour: