EFF statement on suspension of UIF Commissioner Teboho
14 September 2024
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) notes the suspension of Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) commissioner Teboho Maruping, a move that comes after a long history of mismanagement and corruption within the institution. Maruping's suspension follows his involvement in the irregular R5 billion jobs scheme tied to Thuja Capital, a project that was recommended despite serious red flags, including warnings from the UIF's internal adjudication committee and legal advisors.
This scandal involved the approval of a questionable, untested job creation programme that benefited a company connected to high-ranking figures. The programme was greenlit despite being deemed little more than a vague concept, and Maruping overruled the UIF's own processes in making this recommendation. It is deeply concerning that such a massive allocation of public funds was pushed through, risking the financial security of the UIF and betraying the unemployed and workers it is meant to serve.
What is even more alarming is that this is not the first time Maruping has found himself at the centre of a financial scandal. In 2020, he was suspended after the Auditor-General revealed irregularities in the management of Covid-19 Temporary Employer-Employee Relief Scheme (TERS) benefits. Despite these serious findings, he was reinstated two years later, which raises questions about why he has not been prosecuted. How could someone with such a tarnished record be allowed to retum to a position of power, only to be implicated in yet another scandal?
While the suspension of Maruping may seem like a step towards justice, it is also a glaring reminder of how deeply entrenched corruption has become in government processes. It is unsurprising that Maruping has managed to stay in his position for so long despite repeated criminal behaviour, given the culture of impunity that allows public officials to remain untouched while billions meant for the most vulnerable are misused or outright stolen.
The EFF is highly sceptical that this suspension will lead to real investigations, prosecutions, and eventual justice. Too often, officials implicated in criminal acts are merely shuffled around or temporarily removed, only to be quietly reinstated once the public outcry has died down. The suspension of Maruping should not be the end of this matter—there must be a thorough investigation, and all those involved, including higher-ranking officials, must be prosecuted for their role in this egregious misuse of public resources.
The UIF, an institution meant to provide financial relief to the unemployed and struggling workers, has been systematically looted for years. The suffering of unemployed people under this department is appalling. Massive vacancies plague the UIF sections in labour centres across the country, leaving only one person at the counter to serve the long queues of desperate individuals. This shortage of staff worsens the already dire situation, forcing people to endure hours of waiting for services that should be readily available.
Urgent reforms are required within the UIF to ensure that it serves the people rather than the corrupt elite. It is unacceptable that billions meant to tackle unemployment and poverty are siphoned off into dubious schemes that benefit the connected few while ordinary South Africans continue to suffer.
The EFF, through our portfolio committee in Parliament, will demand a clean-up departmental investigation as we believe that there are many more unscrupulous individuals involved in this matter.
Issued by Leigh-Ann Mathys, National Spokesperson, EFF, 14 September 2024
