The Department of Employment and Labour, in partnership with the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), Compensation Fund, Eastern Cape Provincial Government, and Port St Johns Municipality, conducted a week-long outreach programme in the OR Tambo District to address unclaimed social benefits owed to former mineworkers.Over R1 million was distributed to 277 clients, providing financial relief to beneficiaries and their dependants.

The initiative, part of Project Thubalethu, aims to trace unpaid benefits, with an estimated R18 million remaining unclaimed locally and R10 billion nationally.

Commissioner Barry Kistnasamy emphasized the importance of direct outreach to ensure former mineworkers receive owed compensation for occupational diseases and injuries.

The programme also assisted 319 workers with injury claims, registered over 400 job seekers on ESSA, and conducted workplace inspections, issuing compliance orders to employers.

This effort addresses historical labor migration patterns and ensures families affected by workplace illnesses or deaths receive long-overdue support.