The COVID Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme (TERS) is to be stopped.
This is according to business representatives at the National Economic Development and Labour Council, who say they were ‘blindsided’ by an announcement at the body on Friday. They were informed that the National Coronavirus Command Council had decided to discontinue the payments.
These were introduced in March as part of a package of relief measures. The TERS scheme was meant to enable firms to continue paying their employees while they were not able to trade.
Business for South Africa said: ‘There are still a significant number of employees who are vulnerable and whose employers are unable to implement special measures to ensure their safe return to work, or who are unable to return to work on a full-time basis on account of the current government restrictions under the State of Disaster.’
Matthew Parks, parliamentary coordinator for Cosatu said that NEDLAC would need to request a meeting with the executive to discuss the matter and ask President Cyril Ramaphosa to intervene.
The Department of Employment and Labour said that a statement would be issued later in the week.