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The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), together with the Department of Employment and Labour, hosted a high-level Stakeholder Engagement Seminar at the Durban International Convention Centre (ICC) on 13 October. The event united employers, unions, and community representatives to discuss reforms and strengthen cooperation in delivering UIF benefits.
WHAT HAPPENED
The seminar served as a platform for open dialogue between the UIF and its key partners in the labour sector. Delegates discussed system challenges, including delays in benefit payouts, employer compliance, and access to digital services.
Participants also reviewed updates on UIF reforms aimed at improving efficiency and expanding awareness.
A delegate from organised labour said, “This platform helps us raise real issues workers face — especially long waiting periods and online access difficulties. Engagement is the only way forward.”
Using hashtags #UIFStakeholderSeminar and #Yazini, the event reached a wide digital audience, with stakeholders across KwaZulu-Natal showing keen interest in UIF’s future direction.
OFFICIAL RESPONSE
UIF officials acknowledged both achievements and persistent challenges within the system. They reaffirmed their commitment to improving transparency, speeding up payments, and simplifying user experiences.
A spokesperson for the Department of Employment and Labour said, “We are modernising the Fund to serve workers better. Through these dialogues, we can build trust, accountability, and practical solutions that respond to real challenges.”
The UIF emphasized that regular engagement with stakeholders will remain central to its reform strategy, ensuring inclusive policy-making and stronger compliance from employers.
COMMUNITY IMPACT
The Durban seminar show a a renewed effort to strengthen relationships between the UIF, employers, and workers. By addressing access gaps and communication barriers, the Fund hopes to improve benefit delivery and rebuild public confidence.
Moreover, collaboration with communities and organised labour is expected to enhance awareness among vulnerable workers, especially those in informal sectors.
