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Want to separate fact from fiction when it comes to migration flows to South Africa? Our updated and sourced asylum, refugee and migration statistics for South Africa aim to clearly set out the real numbers for you. See the text below each image for hyperlinked sources to the data.

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Only 3-7% of those living in South Africa are foreign nationals (source). This statistic will be made clearer at the next national census, which is due in 2021.

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Statistics not available for 2019, however, in 2018, 18,104 asylum applications were made in South Africa4(source).

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Statistics not available for 2019, however, in 2018, 18,104 asylum applications were made in South Africa4(source).

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In 2009, 157,204 asylum applications were lodged. This then fell steadily from 2009 – 2011, rising slightly between 2013-2015. Since 2016, the number of asylum applications have been falling steadily hitting 18,104 in 201 (source).

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South Africa had 18,104 applications in 2018 and this is less than some other countries in Africa. For example, in 2018, Kenya had 19,3805 and Uganda had 19,6556 individual new asylum applications respectively. (source).

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In 2019, 676 300 asylum seekers applied for international protection in the 27 current Member States of the European Union, up by 11.2 % (source).

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As of 2019, 89 588 people hold refugee status in South Africa. (source).

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Somalia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo Brazaville, Ethiopia,Burundi and Zimbabwe (source).

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Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and Pakistan (source).

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It is not possible to track and give an accurate figure of undocumented people in South Africa, the data currently reports on the number of foreign nationals living in South Africa and they are estimated to be between 3 and 7% of the total population (source).

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An Amnesty International report found that poor decision-making, including mistakes of fact and lack of sound reasoning by RSDO’s has resulted in a 96% rejection rate of asylum applications (source).

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The Refugee Appeals Authority has a backlog of 147 794 cases.

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The Department of Home Affairs did not know how many of the 946 314 inactive section 22 applicants (as at 31 December 2017) were still in the country as the various systems were not integrated (source).

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This short article and infographic aims to make information available regarding the COVID-19 Temporary Employee / Employer Scheme (C19 TERS Scheme), with a focus on non-citizens in South Africa. The C19 TERS Scheme is ultimately for employees who were employed, but not working, during the national lockdown.

If you have any questions related to C19 TERS, you should contact the UIF CALL CENTRE : 0800 030 007. The UIF regularly posts updates on the UIF Twitter and Facebook.

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Important update!

The C19 TERS scheme has been extended to 15 March 2021. The extended period is broken up into two claim & payment periods: 16 October to 31 December 2020, and 1 January to 15 March 2021.

The new extension only applies to employees within those sectors whose employers have not been able to operate fully due to restrictions, and will only apply to employees who are contributors to the UIF

This means an employee who has not been able to work normally only qualifies to receive C19 TERS benefits if they are registered as a UIF contributor and work within a sector or business identified by the Department of Labour.

Other eligible persons may include those in isolation and quarantine (due to Covid-19), persons aged or older who cannot be safely accommodated at work, and persons with comorbidities (or persons at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19, and those who live with them) who could not be safely accommodated at work).

See the UIF’s FAQ on the C19 TERS Extension here.

Persons whose employment continue to be impacted by the national state of disaster (eg. working short time, shift rotations, temporary layoffs) but who do not work in the sectors specified for coverage under the new extension period may wish to pursue normal UIF benefit option, such as Reduced Work Time, by reaching out to the UIF CALL CENTRE (0800 030 007), or applying at the nearest Labour Centre or online here.

(1) What is C19 TERS?

The State of National Disaster declared by the South African government, and the National Lockdown that was enforced, meant that many people were not able to go to work. It also meant that many businesses stopped operating, which impacted people’s income. In response the National Lockdown, the SA government, through the Department of Labour, set up the COVID-19 Temporary Employee / Employer Scheme (C19 TERS) for the period of March 2020 to 15 March 2021 to assist employers. The C19 TERS benefit pays a limited portion of the salaries of employees where the employer had to close operations (completely or partially) due to the lockdown.

There are specific criteria that apply. Also, C19 TERS is separate from normal UIF benefits, and normal rules around a contributor’s credits do not apply under this scheme (under normal benefits, the total amount benefits received is subject to how long a employee has been contributing to UIF, or how many credits they have accrued).

C19 TERS benefits only pays a portion of the employee’s salary. An employer may contribute to the benefits for an employee, however the employee cannot receive more than 100% of their ordinary salary (including taking into account any payments received from the UIF in terms of the scheme). You cannot receive normal UIF Benefits and C19 TERS for the same time period. If you are recently unemployed (you been recently dismissed or retrenched). See Question 15, below.

(2) Who applies, and how do they apply?

Employers should make applications on behalf of their employees. Benefits will either be paid first to the employer, who then pays the employee, or directly to the employee (depending on the option selected when the application is made). Following the Amended Directive of 26 May 2020, persons eligible to benefit from C19 TERS include employees contributing to UIF AND employees (as defined by the UI Act) who should have received benefits under the directive but for circumstances beyond their control the employer failed to: register as an employer; register the employee with UIF as a contributor; or, make contributions in respect of the employee. However, this may only apply to the 27 March to 15 September 2020 time period.

During the new extension period (16 September 2020 to 15 March 2021), a person has to registered as a UIF contributor and meet other relevant criteria in order to be eligible.

Employers intending to apply can send an e-mail to Covid19ters@labour.gov.za for information and can apply online. Additional information for employers is available online here, via a guide here, and on the Dept of Labour site here. Employers can also contact the UIF Call Centre for assistance (0800 030 007). The Department also releases information on its social media pages – Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. If an employer has failed to initiate this process, the employee should contact the UIF Call Centre for assistance (0800 030 007), and they may need to lodge an individual application (see question 4).

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(3) How can I check up on the status of the application for C19 TERS benefits that was made on my behalf?

If your employer applied on your behalf, confirm which identity number they used in the application, and which months they applied for – it could be one, two or all three of the months mentioned above. It is useful for them to write out exactly which identity number they used so there are no errors when you check the status of the application using that number. You can check the status of the application for benefits (month by month) by using the Payment Status tool on the UIF-Covid-19 TERS National Disaster Application System, available here. When you check your Payment Status, you may encounter one of these messages:

“No employee found”

This could mean you entered the wrong identity number, there was an error when the application was made or the receipt of the relevant documents has not been processed yet, or your employer did not apply on your behalf. Confirm with your employer that you entered the correct number. If your employer confirms you entered the correct number, and they are sure they applied on your behalf, they should follow-up with the Department by contacting the UIF Call Centre (0800 030 007) (they should also confirm that you are registered on the uFiling online system). If you believe your employer did not apply on your behalf, contact the UIF Call Centre (0800 030 007) or go to the nearest Labour Centre for assistance.

“Application not processed yet”

This means that the application made on your behalf has been received, however the Department is still processing it. If the status of the application says it is not processed and this does not change, it may mean that your identity number still needs to be verified, there are supporting documents which are missing, or there are other issues which need to be rectified. You should ask your employer to follow-up with the Department by contacting the UIF Call Centre (0800 030 007)

“Payment Processed”

This means the payment of benefits has been made. In most cases, the payment is made into your employer’s bank account – this would usually be the business bank account or the bank

account that your employer uses to pay salaries. After the Department pays the benefits to the employer, it may take 7 to 10 days to be reflected in their account. Once payment has been received by the employer, the employer is obliged to pay the benefits to the employee within 48 hours.

If you have not received the benefits within a reasonable time, you should follow up with your employer. If you have any concerns, you can follow-up with the Department of Employment and Labour by contacting the UIF Call Centre (0800 030 007). If you encounter a message different from one of the above, contact the UIF Call Centre (0800 030 007) for information or assistance.

(4) What if my employer did not apply on my behalf?

If you believe your employer did not apply on your behalf, you should confirm with them, in writing, whether they have made the application. An employee should not make an application on their own behalf when an employer has already applied on their behalf as this could be considered fraud. If you are confused about this, always try to check with your employer and the UIF call centre.

If your employer did not apply on your behalf, you should contact the contact UIF Call Centre for assistance (0800 030 007), and you may need to lodge an individual application for C19 TERS benefits here by selecting “Employee Applications”. The Unemployment Insurance Fund COVID-19 TERS – Employee Application User Guide is available online here. If your employer falsely led you to believe that they applied on your behalf but in fact did not, you can contact the UIF Call Centre (0800 030 007) for information or assistance or approach the nearest Labour Centre. You may also consider approaching the CCMA.

(5)What if my employer is not following-up on my application?

An application may be delayed for various reasons, including errors made during the application. If your employer applied on your behalf, it is their responsibility to follow-up on the application. If your employer fails to follow-up on the application, you should contact the UIF Call Centre (0800 030 007) for information or assistance or approach the nearest Labour Centre. You may also consider approaching the CCMA.

(6) Can I benefit from C19 TERS if I am not a South African citizen (an asylum seeker, refugee, or migrant employee)?

Yes, as long as you have the appropriate documentation allowing you to legally work in South Africa. Your employer should apply on your behalf using the identity document that allows you to legally work in South Africa.

As a migrant employee, this may be your Passport and Work Permit, including a Zimbabwean Special dispensation Permit (ZSP), Lesotho Exemption Permit (LEP); or Angolan Special Permit (ASP). This could also be a person in possession of an asylum seeker or refugee document.

If you are a Permanent Resident, this might be non-citizen’s ID (green ID book). They may also need to submit additional documents on your behalf (see question 6).

(7) Applications made on behalf of non-South African Employees (information for employers)

The below information should be read with the information on how to apply for C19 TERS benefits can be found by referring to question 2.

Applications for C19 TERS benefits made on behalf of non-South African citizen employees may encounter delays, either because of “verif[ication] through interaction with the Department of Home Affairs and at time[s] the South African Revenue Service”, or other issues that impact South African and non-South African employees alike.

Employers should consult with the UIF Call Centre (0800 030 007) regarding applications made on behalf of non-South African employees.

When applying for non-South African citizen employees, employers may need to provide additional details for such employees to ease the verification and payment of benefits:

1. Name and Surname

2. ID or Passport or Work Permit number or identification or such method

3. Proof of how the employee was declared or registered with UIF or SARS

4. Attach proof of such declaration and a three months bank statement showing payment of salary to that staff member

Employers should also confirm that the employee is registered on the uFiling online system.

When applying on behalf on an employee, the employer should use the identity number associated with the relevant document that was used: when UIF contributions were made, when they were registered on the uFiling online system, and/or when they were registered with SARS. Normally, this will be the document that provides for the right to work, and it may be a passport number (with the relevant visa or permit therein), an 11 or 15-digit number associated with an asylum seeker permit or visa or formal recognition of refugee status, or a 13-digit refugee ID.

Some non-South Africans may have an asylum seeker permit or visa, refugee status, or refugee ID (click to see examples). In these cases, the employer should use these documents, and should not request a passport from their country of origin. If you are unsure of which document to use, you can contact the UIF Call Centre (0800 030 007), or reach out to the Advocacy Programme of the Scalabrini Centre for advice (info@scalabrini.org.za; 021 465 6433; 078 260 3536 (during the lockdown).

(8) What if I am a non-South Africa citizen employee, and my South African colleagues have been paid but I have not been paid yet?

Applications for C19 TERS benefits made on behalf of non-South African employees may encounter delays, either because of “verif[ication] through interaction with the Department of Home Affairs and at time[s] the South African Revenue Service”, or other issues that impact South African and non-South African employees alike, including errors during the application processed. The most important thing is that you confirm with your employer that they have applied on your behalf.

You should ask your employer to confirm, in writing, that they made an application for C19 TERS benefits. This written confirmation should specify exactly which identity number they used in the application, and specify which months they applied for. Your employer should continue to follow-up on the application by contacting the UIF Call Centre (0800 030 007).

(9) What if I did not pay UIF, can I still benefit from C19 TERS?

Following the Amended Directive of 26 May 2020, persons eligible to benefit from C19 TERS include employees contributing to UIF AND employees (as defined by the UI Act) who should have received benefits under the directive but for circumstances beyond their control the employer failed to: register as an employer; register the employee as a contributor; or, make contributions in respect of the employee. If your employer won’t help you, contact the UIF Call Centre (0800 030 007) or go to the nearest Labour Centre for assistance. However, this may only apply to the 27 March to 15 September 2020 time period.

During the new extension period (16 September 2020 to 15 March 2021), a person has to registered as a UIF contributor and meet other relevant criteria in order to be eligible.

(10) What if I believe my employer has engaged in fraudulent activity?

There may be many valid reasons why you have not received your C19 TERS benefits yet. However, if you believe your employer has engaged in fraudulent activity, or if they refuse to

pay your C19 TERS benefits, you should report the employer to the nearest Labour Centre or contact the Fraud Hotline (0800 212 799).

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(11) I am recently unemployed or retrenched. Am I eligible for C19 TERS benefits? How do I apply for normal UIF benefits?

C19 TERS benefits are intended to assist employers to pay employees who are currently employed but not working because of the lockdown. This is not the same thing as being unemployed.

If you are a UIF contributor and are unemployed because of termination, dismissal, or insolvency, or if you have reduced income owing to reduced working hours, you may be eligible to apply for normal UIF Benefits – apply online with the UIF Online Filing System. For more info, follow this UIF’s Easy Guide for Electronic Claims, call UIF for assistance (0800 030 007), or read our Explainer on UIF (updated link coming shortly).

If you were employed but not working because of the lockdown, and later you became unemployed (through dismissal, retrenchment, insolvency, etc.), your employer should have applied for C19 TERS benefits on your behalf for the eligible months that you weren’t working during the lockdown (March 2020 to 15 March 2021), and you should apply for normal UIF benefits to cover the period from when you were unemployed.

(12) What if I believe I have been unfairly dismissed or retrenched?

If you believe you have may have been unfairly dismissed or retrenched, you should approach the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA). Visit the CCMA’s website for more information. Please note that normally disputes must be raised with the CCMA within 30 days of the date of the dismissal.

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