15 Malawian ex-miners receive benefits from South Africa
Deputy Minister of Labour Vera Kamtukule has disclosed that the South Africa-based Provident Fund has finally paid 15 of Malawians who worked in mines in South Africa
Kamtukule made the remarks on Thursday in Lilongwe during a press conference to update the nation on the progress made regarding unclaimed benefits due to Malawians worked in the mines in South Africa.
Kamtukule said from the successful names, six are alive while unfortunately nine are deceased.
“Their money has been transferred to their bank accounts through electronic money transfer,” she said.
She said the authorities of fund have confirmed unclaimed benefits of 500 Malawian ex-miners.
Following the receipt of this, she said, all names were sent to district councils and were announced in the public media urging the beneficiaries and to provide the supporting documents as required by the fund administrators.
So far, Kamtukule said, only 143 ex-miners have been traced.
Of these, 87 have provided full supporting documentation and their files have since been sent to the authorities in South Africa.
She further said her ministry will continue to trace the names provided by the Fund Authorities and assist the beneficiaries in filling the forms and putting together the required supporting documents to ensure that they access their benefits.
Adding that they will also revisit their database and all the information to look for other qualified ex-miners.
We will also work together with ex-miners association in Malawi to gather information and help then to claim benefits from any fund in South Africa, she said.
Kamtukule, however, pointed out that several challenges faced in the process that most ex-miners are coming out yet they were not members of the fund, false information and some already received their benefits while in South Africa, among others.
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