
Unclaimed retirement benefits – a problem that won’t go away
Better member data, stronger engagement, and AI-assisted tracing may improve future outcomes, but billions of rands in legacy retirement savings are likely to remain unclaimed.

Better member data, stronger engagement, and AI-assisted tracing may improve future outcomes, but billions of rands in legacy retirement savings are likely to remain unclaimed.

As members leave compulsory preserved savings behind when changing jobs, fragmentation across funds may make it harder to manage fees, investments, and progress towards retirement.

Data from Alexforbes and Sanlam suggests more members are preserving retirement savings, though it is too soon to know whether the shift will last.

Hybrid working, guaranteed bonuses, and fully paid parental leave are less common, even though employees rate them highly.

A sharp market sell-off triggered by the Middle East conflict dented first-quarter returns, but local shares, bonds and property still posted strong 12-month gains.