The Presidential Youth Employment Initiative (PYEI), which is aimed at the recruitment of Education and General assistants is set to begin its fourth phase.
Some of the recruits from the prior phases of the initiative have recently been paid by the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF).
In a statement issued on Monday, the entity confirmed that it has processed R7,7 million to 1,746 former Education and General assistants from the Amajuba District in KwaZulu-Natal.
The former assistants were eligible to apply for unemployment benefits from the UIF once their contracts expired. The UIF team in KwaZulu-Natal met with the Provincial Department of Education in Amajuba to discuss a coordinated strategy in light of the expected high volume of claims and to avoid lengthy queues at labour centres.
This involved the Department providing locations while the Fund evaluated the former employees' compliance with their job histories, disclosures, and donations.
The payments were made between 21 November and 25 November, as part of a project and build-up activities for the recently implemented District Development Model (DDM) Imbizo, which was directed by the Minister of Employment and Labor Thulas Nxesi.
The UIF went on to say that recruits applied for benefits using their smartphones to access the uFiling system, eliminating the need for any documentation.
Additionally, the UIF will shortly expand the project to other regions of the KZN province and will make announcements on dates and further information as they become available.