Vereeniging labour centre is shut. Where to go for UIF help in Gauteng

The Vereeniging Labour Centre is closed to the public with immediate effect after the Department of Employment and Labour's own health and safety inspectors issued a prohibition notice on the building (Department of Employment and Labour). There is no reopening date yet.

It is the second Gauteng labour centre shut for safety reasons in under a week. Soweto closed five days earlier, and Sandton and Johannesburg have been closed since 31 August. If you need help with UIF, a work seeker registration or a workplace complaint in Gauteng, you now have fewer walk-in options.

Why was the Vereeniging labour centre closed?

An occupational health and safety (OHS) assessment found maintenance and infrastructure defects that did not meet safety standards, and inspectors issued a formal prohibition notice (department statement; TimesLIVE).

A task team and contractors working through the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure have been sent to start repairs. The centre stays closed until inspectors re-examine the building, confirm it complies with the OHS Act and formally lift the notice (department statement).

Can I still get UIF and other services from the Vaal?

Yes, but not in person at Vereeniging. Staff are working remotely and through nearby branches, and the department says applications, claims processing and general queries will still be handled in the back office (department statement).

If you need urgent face to face help, the department says to go to its closest operational service point. It did not name a specific office for Vaal clients.

Which other Gauteng labour centres are closed?

• Soweto (2 Khumalo Road, Orlando West): closed after inspectors issued prohibition, contravention and improvement notices. It stays shut until inspectors confirm the building is compliant (department statement).
• Sandton (424 9th Street, Marlboro): closed from 31 August 2026 for renovations expected to take about 12 months (department statement).
• Johannesburg (56 Main Street, Marshalltown): closed from 31 August 2026 because its lease ended. It is moving to a new building that Public Works is still renovating (department statement).

Where can I go instead?

The department has named these walk-in alternatives:

• Maponya Thusong Service Centre in Soweto, and the Randburg and Roodepoort labour centres, for former Soweto clients (department statement).
• Randburg Labour Centre: corner Oak and Hill Streets, Hillview Centre, ground floor (department statement).
• Kempton Park Labour Centre: Trust Bank Building, ground floor, corner Voortrekker and Wolf Streets (department statement).

The department says its online services remain fully operational and points clients to labour.gov.za (department statement). For the Sandton and Johannesburg closures it set up phone lines on 082 908 1706 and 079 511 3178, from 07:30 to 16:00, Monday to Friday (department statement).

The department has apologised for what it called the cumulative inconvenience of the closures and says it will post progress updates on its website and social media (department statement).