IRFA elects new leadership as Andrews takes the chair
IRFA will focus on governance, member education, and constructive policy engagement as the retirement-fund sector navigates continuing regulatory change.
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Retirement advice: The right help at the wrong time
Many members value retirement guidance, but research suggests it often comes after key savings, preservation, and income decisions have already been made.
Absa takes over custody of GEPF’s R3.5 trillion
Absa is taking over custody of the GEPF’s R3.5 trillion portfolio – but what does a master custodian actually do, and what does the change mean for the Fund’s 1.7 million-plus members and beneficiaries?
Responsible investment: South Africa has the policies, but can it prove they work?
Most asset owners say they are responsible investors, but 43% have no independent way to assess whether their managers are delivering on their ESG commitments.
Debt and retirement pressures drive new product thinking
With household debt absorbing income and retirement outcomes remaining poor, Discovery has introduced a benefit aimed at addressing both pressures.
Draft TLAB will settle living annuity commutation rule
The proposal puts SARS’s existing cumulative approach into the Income Tax Act, ending uncertainty over whether the R150 000 limit applies per policy.
Retirement fund faulted for failing to verify death-benefit claim
The Adjudicator orders a fresh investigation after finding that the fund had not adequately verified an alleged cohabiting partner’s claim.
Unclaimed benefits | Support for central tracing, not central control
Retirement funds back efforts to make unclaimed benefits easier to find but say transferring billions in retirement assets into a central fund goes too far.
What a weekly workout can teach us about retirement
Exercising regularly is only the starting point for Discovery’s argument that everyday behaviours can have a lasting effect on earnings, debt, and retirement security.
OPFA introduces dedicated form for section 13A complaints
Retirement funds are expected to submit fuller, better-documented complaints when pursuing employers over unpaid contributions and missing contribution schedules.
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.
No checklist for proving a permanent life partnership, says Adjudicator
Continuous cohabitation and joint bank accounts are relevant but not decisive when trustees assess whether a claimant was a permanent life partner.
When it’s your money, who should decide?
As employers hand more responsibility for retirement and healthcare benefits to staff, the industry is rethinking how to balance freedom with better financial decisions.
Defined-benefit pension conversion dispute turns on fund’s rules
The fund’s calculation was found reasonable by an independent actuary, but the OPFA held that the rules did not authorise the conversion method.
Conduct Standard deadline nears for benefit administrators
From 6 August, administration agreements and outsourcing arrangements must comply with the last deferred provisions of Conduct Standard 2 of 2025.
Why retirement advice isn’t changing behaviour
Access to education and information has expanded, but the challenge is turning member engagement into better financial decisions and outcomes.
Treasury’s crackdown spreads beyond municipalities
Municipalities that fix their governance failures could regain funding within weeks, while provinces and national departments are now facing the same scrutiny.
