Two South African women have been denied access to their Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) benefits after their identity numbers were allegedly used in a fraudulent scheme to claim Covid-19 relief funds.

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) confirmed the incidents are linked to one of 60 companies under investigation for using stolen identities to siphon over R148.4m from the UIF.

Victims like Pretoria-based Paula Mokoena and KwaZulu-Natal resident Ntombifuthi Mazibuko discovered the fraud only after multiple failed attempts to claim benefits, with their records falsely linked to non-existent employers.

Mokoena, a new mother, faced four months of financial strain after her maternity benefits were blocked, while Mazibuko's UIF claims were rejected 10 times before officials revealed her ID was tied to Ziqoqe Construction.

Despite lodging complaints, victims face a frustrating cycle of being passed between departments, with the labour ministry directing them to SAPS and police citing it as an internal matter.The SIU emphasized its focus on recovering stolen funds, but victims argue the bureaucratic deadlock leaves them without recourse.

The article highlights systemic failures in addressing identity theft and fraud, urging affected individuals to report cases immediately and document all interactions.