August 2020

27Aug

South Africa. Govt won’t force pensions to be invested in infrastructure projects, says deputy fin minister

- Government does not intend to force pensions to be invested in certain assets, says Deputy Finance Minister David Masondo. - Amendments to regulation 28 of the Pension Funds Act is purely to broaden the scope of investments trustees of funds can consider, he said. - Masondo says trustees have a fiduciary duty to deliver better returns to members of funds. Government has no intention of forcing pension funds to invest in specified projects or assets which...

August 27, 2020
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20Aug

A step closer to retirement reform in South Africa

By Jerry Botha, managing partner, and Jean Du Toit, head of tax technical at Tax Consulting South Africa As announced in the Budget Speech, any South African leaving in future will be subject to a much stricter process from 1 March 2021 onwards. But there was also a surprise 3-year lockup announcement for anyone with a South African pension fund, seeking to leave South Africa. This appears a sign of things to come for private pensions in South Africa....

August 20, 2020
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19Aug

South Africa. Enoch Godongwana: Prescribed assets won’t be used to bailout struggling SOEs

RYK VAN NIEKERK: The contentious issue of prescribed assets was a prominent topic of discussion during an ANC webinar on Monday night regarding the party’s economic policy. During the webinar Enoch Godongwana, the head of the ANC’S economic transformation subcommittee, strongly denied that proposed changes to Regulation 28 are aimed to force pension funds to bail out struggling state-owned enterprises, or to fund a state-owned bank. Enoch Godongwana is on the line. Enoch, thank you so much for joining...

August 19, 2020
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17Aug

South Africa. ANC planning to use pension funds to launch state-owned bank

Reports have surfaced which reveal that the African National Congress (ANC) is working on plans to create a state-owned bank which will use pension funds to gain access to favourable rates. Read also South Africa. Enoch Godongwana: Prescribed assets won’t be used to bailout struggling SOEs A report published by the Sunday Times on Sunday Augst 16, which revealed that the ANC has developed a recovery plan and one of the efforts involved would be an effort to invest in...

August 17, 2020
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July 2020

13Jul

Older South Africans are taking their wealth and pensions offshore

In the current precarious economic climate, South African residents over age 55, who invested in retirement annuities (RAs), preservation funds or pensions, are increasingly transferring their investments to living annuities with offshore equity exposure. Read also Greece’s supreme court rules for reimbursement of pension cuts Claudia Mendes, international financial planner at Sable International, considers the argument for going offshore. South African residents find themselves investing in a country that has a concentration of resource stocks and a volatile currency. With...

July 13, 2020
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June 2020

25Jun

South Africa: UCT Urged to ‘Prioritise Mentorship’

When Malizole Mdlekeza was a youngster, children his age dreamed of becoming doctors and engineers. But he dreamed of becoming the next Michael Schumacher or Lewis Hamilton. Mdlekeza simply loved the thrill of racing cars and turning this passion into a career was once on the cards. A lot has changed since then, and let's just say his other love - actuarial science - took pole position when this maths and science buff chose his career path at the...

June 25, 2020
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17Jun

Countless South Africans are owed pension benefits, and yet claiming is a constant battle

While few immediately associate youth issues with pensions, the reality is that many young people actively participate in and even depend on the pensions industry. This includes their participation in the ongoing struggle of millions to access more than R42-billion in pension benefits owed to individuals and families. Young people interact with the pensions industry in various ways. Some in formal employment already contribute to a pension or benefit fund or are considering which fund to choose. Those counted...

June 17, 2020
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12Jun

South African Individual Retirement Savings: An Analysis of the Social Factors

By Gizelle Willows This study's primary aim is to determine whether members of a South African tertiary institution's retirement fund are en route to have sufficient retirement savings. Secondly, the results are analysed between different social factors namely: age, gender, race, education level, marital status, and cost of employment. Survey data and information received directly from the retirement fund were used as inputs in a customised model. This method was unique to this study, that is, it was able...

June 12, 2020
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05Jun

South Africa. Investors could be hit by uneven stock markets

Investors could be hit by uneven global stock markets. The warning comes as stock markets around the world extend their remarkable rallies despite a continuing global public health emergency, economic downturns and financial upheaval, political uncertainty and widespread social unrest. Wall Street is expected to open higher again on Tuesday – with the benchmark S&P500 less than 10 per cent from its all-time high. In the Asia-Pacific region and across Europe, all major indices made gains. Global...

June 5, 2020
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03Jun

South Africa’s Central Bank Rules Out Financing Government

South Africa’s central bank ruled out helping the government fund its runaway budget deficit by paying for its spending through loans, as the ruling party debates using the institution to fund infrastructure and development. “We do not think it is prudent to finance government directly,” Kuben Naidoo, a Reserve Bank deputy governor, said on a conference call hosted by money manager Ninety One. “It would increase inflation risks. It would blur the lines between an independent central bank...

June 3, 2020
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