For many South Africans, a pension fund is understood in simple terms: contributions are paid, assets are invested, and one day those savings or promises provide an income in retirement. At one level, that remains true. But beneath that familiar picture, the...
Nokwazi Dube works as an accountant in small-town KZN. Her round-trip commute to work takes around two hours a day. However, if the bridge connecting two key roads on her route was repaired, the daily journey would be just 40 minutes. Nokwazi, as a trustee...
As we all know, the primary purpose of a retirement fund is to provide retirement benefits to its members and death benefits to their dependents. It is for this very reason that retirement benefits are strictly protected. However, Section 37D(1)(b) of the...
Traditionally, the role of retirement fund advisers was mainly technical, with a focus on understanding fund rules, assisting with compliance and providing input on investment mandates and administrator selection. However, in today’s shifting landscape,...
South Africa’s retirement industry is undergoing a period of accelerated structural change. Consolidation among funds and administrators, far‑reaching governance reform, and the introduction of the two‑pot system are reshaping how retirement savings are...
South Africa’s two-pot retirement system is starting to show that limited short-term access to savings need not undermine long-term retirement security. For retirement fund trustees, this is an important early signal that better system design can support...
South Africa has an uncomfortable habit of having the same argument over and over again. We worry about imports. We talk about protecting local industry. We debate tariffs, incentives, and unintended consequences. And then, quietly, we carry on buying,...
Only 8% of female retirement fund members feel confident they can retire comfortably. Ninety-two percent face their financial future with uncertainty, anxiety, or fear. The assumption is that women do not save enough. Boardrooms repeat it. Policy discussions...
The new era of governance The Institute of Directors in South Africa (IoDSA) published the King V Code on Corporate Governance on 31 October 2025. King V replaces King IV and introduces a refreshed, outcomes‑based approach to governance across all sectors –...
Employers and retirement fund trustees are rethinking how they structure employee benefits. Instead of viewing retirement savings, healthcare and group risk cover as separate components, organisations are beginning to recognise the advantages of integrating...
