MBOMBELA – In Mpumalanga alone, 733 members of the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) have not claimed the benefits to which they are entitled.
This was highlighted by the fund’s acting principal executive officer, Ms Joelene Moodley, who added that R24,6 million had not been claimed.
“We are looking for these beneficiaries and we hope you can assist us in locating some u beneficiaries so that they can claim their long-outstanding pension benefits,” she told Mpumalanga News.
Moodley urged anyone who’s deceased spouses or parents had been employed by the government at some stage to check if they do not have money entitled to them lying around unclaimed.
“It could be your neighbour who is now struggling to make ends meet and had someone working for the government, but doesn’t know about the fund. We urge people to look out for one another.
They might be living in seriously impoverished conditions when they have money which could help in some way,” she added.
Moodley also reassured members about the rumours relating to the cessation of pension gratuity payout that is said to be effective as from March 1, 2015.
“A number of government employees are taking early retirement, while others are resigning and this will only result in their paying huge amounts of tax unnecessarily,” she stated.
Moodley said that the changes that come into effect on March 1, 2015 would only bring private-sector provident funds in line with pension funds, that is, two-thirds of contributions after that date, would have to be annualised at retirement.
“The GEPF is a pension fund subject to these requirements, so benefits will be paid out as before. The fund’s members will not be affected in any way,” she concluded.
