This page covers the UIF, the Unemployment Insurance Fund, which is administered by the Department of Employment and Labour. Claims are lodged at a labour centre or through the uFiling online system, and the department’s call centre handles enquiries about an existing claim.
Have your ID number and UIF reference ready. A claim that has stalled is most often waiting on an employer declaration rather than on the department, and that is the first thing to check.
This page covers how to contact the Department of Employment and Labour in South Africa. The details below were taken from the official Department of Employment and Labour contact page rather than from any third-party directory.
ContactDetails.co.za is an independent directory. We are not the Department of Employment and Labour and cannot act on your behalf. Everything on this page is a routing aid so you reach the right official channel quickly.
The Department of Employment and Labour contact numbers
These routes were verified against the official Department of Employment and Labour contact page on 21 August 2026. Contact numbers do change, so confirm on the official page before relying on one for anything urgent.
| What it is for | Contact |
|---|---|
| UIF call centre | 080 003 0007 |
| UIF call centre email | [email protected] |
| UIF complaints email | [email protected] |
| uFiling support email | [email protected] |
Most day to day services, including UIF claims and Compensation Fund matters, are handled at your nearest Labour Centre rather than at head office. Use the official Labour Centre directory to find the one for your area before travelling.
Choosing the right The Department of Employment and Labour route
The Department of Employment and Labour splits its contact lines by department rather than running everything through one switchboard. Calling the wrong line usually means being transferred or asked to call back, so it is worth picking the right one first time.
- A complaint that a normal call has not fixed: use uif complaints email on [email protected] and ask for a complaint reference.
Self-service options before you call
- Email to [email protected], which gives you a written record of what you asked and when.
- The official Labour Centre directory, for contact hours and the details held for a specific location.
- The official site at labour.gov.za, which carries the current customer care details and any online enquiry form.
- Calling outside peak times. Monday mornings and the hour after 17:00 are usually the worst for South African contact centres.
What to have ready before you call
- A clear one line summary of what you need resolved.
- Your account, order or reference number if you already have one.
- The identity document or account holder details, since most South African providers verify who you are before discussing an account.
- Dates, amounts and any error message exactly as it appeared.
- A pen and paper for the reference number. Ask for one every time, because without it a follow up call starts from nothing.
Complaints and escalation
If a first call does not resolve the matter, escalate through the organisation’s own complaints process first, keeping every reference number issued.
Keep a short written log of each contact: the date, the channel you used, the name of the agent and the reference number. Most consumer complaint processes ask for exactly that history, and having it ready is usually the difference between a fast resolution and starting over.
Avoiding fake The Department of Employment and Labour contact numbers
Contact details for well known South African brands are a common target for impersonation. Numbers that look official appear in search ads, social media replies and cloned websites, and the person answering is not the Department of Employment and Labour.
- Reach the Department of Employment and Labour through the official site at labour.gov.za rather than through a number in a search advert or a social media reply.
- the Department of Employment and Labour will never ask you for your full card number, PIN, CVV, online banking password or a one time PIN. Nobody legitimate needs those to help you.
- Treat any caller who creates urgency, asks you to install remote access software, or asks you to move money to a safe account as fraudulent, and end the call.
- If you are unsure whether a call was genuine, hang up and dial the official number yourself rather than calling back a number the caller gave you.
Related contact pages
Frequently asked questions
What is the Department of Employment and Labour contact number?
The routes the Department of Employment and Labour publishes on its official contact page are listed in the table above, with what each one is for. The main route is 080 003 0007. Confirm it on labour.gov.za before relying on it, since numbers are changed from time to time.
How do I know a Department of Employment and Labour number is genuine?
Check it against the official site at labour.gov.za. A number that only appears in a search advert, a social media reply or a third-party directory should not be trusted for anything involving your account, your money or your identity document.
What should I do if nobody resolves my query?
Ask for the complaint reference and the escalation path on your first call, then follow the escalation route described above. Keep the dates, agent names and reference numbers, because every formal complaint process will ask for them.
Can ContactDetails.co.za resolve this for me?
No. We are an independent directory, not the Department of Employment and Labour, and we have no access to your account. Everything here is a routing aid so that you reach the correct official channel with the right information in hand.
Is there a cost to calling these numbers?
South African 0860 and 0861 numbers are charged at a share-call or standard rate depending on your provider, and 0800 numbers are toll free from a landline. Calls from a mobile are billed at your own operator’s rate, so check your plan if cost matters.
Contact routes on this page were checked against the official Department of Employment and Labour source on 21 August 2026. If you find a detail that has changed, the official source above is always the authority.