Thulas Nxesi announces extension of Ters applications: here’s who can apply

20 July 2021 - 11:15 By cebelihle bhengu
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
Employment and labour minister Thulas Nxesi has signed the lockdown level 4 direction which approves the extension of the Ters fund until July 25. File photo.
Employment and labour minister Thulas Nxesi has signed the lockdown level 4 direction which approves the extension of the Ters fund until July 25. File photo.
Image: GCIS

South Africans still impacted by the lockdown restrictions, including those who work in the entertainment industry, are eligible to apply for the Covid-19 temporary employer/employee relief scheme (Ters). 

Last Friday employment and labour minister Thulas Nxesi signed the level 4 direction which approves the extension of the fund until July 25.

Applicants have access to the system from July 19 and can apply here.

The directive states eligible sectors are those that haven’t been able to operate either partially or in full under alert level 4 lockdown which took effect from June 27. It also applies to businesses that have been affected by lower lockdowns since March. 

“Employees whose employers are not permitted to commence operations either partially or in full in terms of the regulations published by the minister of co-operative governance and traditional affairs on June 27 2021 and any other thereafter in terms of section 27(2) of the Disaster Management Act pursuant to the declaration of the national disaster dated March 15 2020,” states the document.  

Successful applicants should receive a payment of R3,500 or more, including any contributions from employers.

During this extension, the fund will be paid directly to employees to ensure it is not pocketed by employers, as seen in previous phases.

Acting Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) commissioner Mzie Yawa urged employers to provide accurate details for their employees. 

“We have learnt the lesson from the previous phases that some unscrupulous employers did not advance the funds to their employees, and it is for that reason we have opted for this mode of payment,” said Yawa.

“As a result of the nonpayment of workers, the UIF and the entire department were inundated with a lot of complaints as workers could see in the system that funds had been released but had not been paid by their employers, who kept the Covid-19 Ters funds for themselves.”


subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now