The Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) says public governance responsibilities are best achieved through continued engagement, constructive dialogue and institutional processes through which evidence is considered and policy positions are refined in the interest of the public.
Withdrawal from these forums limits opportunities to influence governance outcomes, it states in response to business organisation Business Unity South Africa’s (Busa’s) withdrawal of its representative from the UIF board of directors and UIF-related structures at the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac).
Busa earlier this week said the process to reform the UIF has stalled over the past two years, with no clear commitment to ensuring the effectiveness of the proposed task team that must develop a credible reform pathway for the UIF.
“The UIF remains deeply dysfunctional, characterised by persistent operational failures, governance weaknesses, delays, unresponsiveness and a drift away from its core mandate,” Busa said.
In response, the UIF says it has advanced proposals aimed at strengthening institutional governance and improving labour market outcomes.
