The Minister of Employment and Labour, Nomakhosazana Meth, has moved to reassure workers and beneficiaries that no Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) applications were lost during the transition from the legacy uFiling system to the new UIF Online platform.
Meth on Monday said misinformation and unverified commentary surrounding the UIF Online claims platform risked creating unnecessary panic among workers. These are workers who depend on UIF services.
The UIF launched its new online claims platform, UIF Online, on 1 April 2025. This was to replace the employee claims section of the legacy uFiling portal.
According to the department, the new platform was introduced to simplify and speed up the claims process. It allows direct client submissions, real-time claim tracking and automated communication throughout the claims lifecycle.
The department said the system also promotes a self-service model and removes the need for third-party agents to assist clients in submitting claims.
“The implementation of UIF Online has yielded positive results,” the statement read.
By April 2026, the UIF had processed and paid 4 558 971 claims through the new platform.
The department compared this to 4 099 522 claims processed in 2023. In addition, 3 547 006 claims were processed in 2024 under the previous uFiling system.
“These figures demonstrate the effectiveness of the new platform in improving access to benefits and enhancing service delivery,” the department said.
Legacy employee portal officially closed
The department clarified that the legacy uFiling platform consisted of two separate components: the employee claims portal and the employer portal.
It said the employee claims portal officially closed on 20 May 2026 after the resolution of legal and contractual disputes linked to the old platform. There was also the completion of the required handover process.
According to the department, these disputes had previously prevented the UIF from decommissioning the employee claims portal.
The department stressed that no applications submitted through the old platform had disappeared.
“With the closing of the employee claims portal, we wish to assure clients that no applications were lost,” the statement said.
It added that applications submitted on the old system had been stored in a separate database. In that database, they were being analysed, verified against system controls and migrated to the new UIF Online platform.
Employer portal still operational
The UIF confirmed that the employer portal on the legacy system remains operational.
The portal continues to handle employer registrations, declarations, and contributions.
The department said these functions are expected to migrate to UIF Online by August 2026. This would complete the transition away from the legacy platform.
Meth warns against misinformation
Meth warned public representatives and commentators against spreading unverified information about the UIF system.
“As public representatives, we have a responsibility to ensure that the information we share with the public is accurate, factual, and in the interests of nation building,” she said.
“While constructive scrutiny is welcomed, the spread of misinformation and unverified claims can undermine public confidence and cause unnecessary panic.”
