A woman residing in Bellevue, Gauteng, has been avoiding calls from those offering assistance in quickly accessing her R2 million from the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF). Initially employed as a domestic worker, it was discovered that she had previously worked as a teacher for the Department of Education.
Last month, Mrs. Thandi Shabangu (61) faced an issue at the Department of Labor when registering for UIF. She was informed that she had a substantial sum of money owed to her due to her previous employment as a teacher.
Mrs. Shabangu told ILANGA, the source of this information, that she is reluctant to sign for the R2 million as it might lead to complications with the government. She explained that although she held a Form 1, now known as Grade 8, she was aware that this certificate would not have qualified her for a teaching position.
Since her story was published, Mrs. Shabangu has been receiving calls from individuals offering to help her expedite the process of obtaining the money. Strangely, these callers advise her not to visit the Department of Labor, claiming they can resolve the matter for her.
Mrs. Shabangu expressed her confusion and discomfort regarding these phone calls, particularly since the callers refuse to disclose how they obtained her number. She stated that it feels intrusive to receive calls from unfamiliar people.
However, there is some hope regarding her UIF claim, as she anticipates the first payment to arrive by the middle of the current month. She mentioned that the Department of Labor was finally able to assist her in locating her UIF records after she filed an affidavit with the police. The source has seen a Department of Labor document indicating the amount of UIF funds Mrs. Shabangu is expected to receive.
Officials from both the Department of Labor in KwaZulu-Natal and the Department of Education in the province, Mr. Nhlanhla Khumalo and Mr. Muzi Mahlambi, respectively, have promised to intervene immediately to assist Mrs. Shabangu. They requested her contact information from the source in order to investigate why she was registered as a teacher.
