COSATU demands immediate action by the UIF and Hawks on serious allegations of theft of workers’ monies by CNA

31 July 2023

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) demands immediate action by the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Hawks on serious allegations of the theft of workers’ monies by CNA as reported in the Sunday Times. It is beyond shocking that workers at CNA are said to have been waiting for months to receive the salaries, pension and UIF payments due to them. It has been reported that these monies were deducted from workers’ salaries and never paid over to workers, their pension fund and the UIF.

These are criminal acts of fraud and theft that the South African Police Service and Hawks must act upon. It is unacceptable how workers are made to pay the price for the callous indifference and criminal conduct of company owners and management.

The UIF and the Department of Employment and Labour need to release the funds that these workers are entitled to from the UIF. The UIF must then go and pursue those outstanding funds from the employer. Workers should not be victimised because the employer deducted and pocketed the monies it was legally obliged to hand over to the UIF. Old Mutual too needs to do better for these members.

COSATU will be engaging the Ministries of Police and Employment and Labour, as well as the UIF to ensure that these workers are paid what they are entitled to and action is taken against the guilty parties. We will also engage Old Mutual to see how it can help resolve this matter too.

Issued by Matthew Parks, Acting National Spokesperson & Parliamentary Coordinator, 31 July 2023