BL Premium reports that the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) says employees in sectors hit hardest by the latest Covid-19 lockdown measures will start receiving Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme (Ters) payments from 26 July.

“According to the agreed project plan, UIF should be ready to open the system for applications from July 19 2021 so that payments could start flowing from July 26 2021,” spokesperson Makhosonke Buthelezi advised on Wednesday. Buthelezi said details on who would qualify would be published in the coming days. On Sunday, President Ramaphosa announced the extension of the lockdown level 4 restrictions that had been imposed to curb the third wave of Covid-19 infections, leaving many workers, particularly in liquor, leisure, travel and tourism industries with reduced or no income at all. This week, Ramaphosa said the UIF, after discussion with labour and businesses, would extend its Ters pay-protection scheme to workers affected by the lockdown restrictions. Buthelezi advised that the UIF had enough funds available to cushion affected workers.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Bekezela Phakathi at BusinessLive (paywall access only)

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