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Employment and labour minister Nomakhosazana Meth says the Unemployment Insurance Fund’s (UIF) new online platform has processed and paid more than 4.5-million claims since its launch in April 2025.
In a media statement released on Monday, ministry spokesperson Thobeka Magcai said the UIF Online platform has shown significant improvements in service delivery and access to benefits compared to the previous uFiling system.
“In comparison, during the same review period, the fund processed and paid 4,099,522 claims in 2023 and 3,547,006 claims in 2024 under the legacy uFiling system. These figures demonstrate the effectiveness of the new platform in improving access to benefits and enhancing service delivery,” said Magcai.
By April the fund had successfully processed and paid 4,558,971 claims through the new digital platform.
The statement was issued as Meth sought to correct what she described as recent public misinformation and unverified commentary regarding the UIF Online system.
“The new platform simplifies and accelerates claims processing by enabling direct client submissions, real-time claim tracking and automated communication throughout the claim lifecycle,” said Magcai.
“Furthermore, it supports a self-service model, eliminating the need for third-party agents to assist clients with the submission of claims.”
The department said it had embarked on extensive awareness campaigns and stakeholder engagements to educate workers about the new platform.
Magcai clarified that the legacy uFiling system consisted of two separate components, the employee claims portal and the employer portal.
“The employee claims portal was officially closed on May 20 following the successful resolution of legal and contractual disputes associated with the legacy platform, as well as the completion of the required handover process.”
The department also assured workers that no applications submitted on the previous platform had been lost.
“With the closing of the employee claims portal we wish to assure clients that no applications were lost. Applications that were submitted on the uFiling platform have been stored in a separate database from where they are being analysed, verified against system controls and migrated into the new online platform,” said Magcai.
The employer portal remains operational and will be migrated to UIF Online by August, she said.
“The employer portal remains fully operational and continues to provide services relating to employer registration, declarations and contributions. These functions are scheduled to be migrated to UIF Online by August 2026 bringing to a close the transition from the legacy uFiling platform.”
Meth warned against the spread of misinformation about the UIF system.
“While constructive scrutiny is welcomed, the spread of misinformation and unverified claims can undermine public confidence and cause unnecessary panic,” said Meth.
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