The Conduct of Financial Institutions (COFI) Bill marks a decisive shift in how financial services will be regulated in South Africa. Yet COFI should not be misunderstood as simply another compliance regime layered onto an already complex regulatory...
The South African financial sector is on the cusp of a profound transformation, with the Conduct of Financial Institutions (COFI) Bill poised to redefine the regulatory landscape for all financial institutions, including retirement funds. The Institute of...
The 2025 IRFA Annual Conference in August was a resounding success. Under the theme “Building Resilience: Leading Change for a Lasting and Positive Impact,” it brought together more than a thousand delegates from across Africa - trustees, regulators, fund...
Section 37C investigations remain one of the onerous duties for trustees to navigate. The Constitutional Court's ruling in Mutsila v Municipal Gratuity Fund and Others [2025] ZACC 17 provides much needed guidance and clarity on the application of section 37C...
In today's financial planning profession, transformation is essential. The FPI Education & Training Fund Trust is positioned as a catalyst for meaningful change. The Trust, launched on 4 September 2025 in Johannesburg, exemplifies the Financial Planning...
We are living through great transformation in the financial planning profession. Technology, once a back-office tool, has now moved to the forefront, reshaping how financial planners communicate, analyse, and serve their clients. From AI advice engines to...
The Institute of Retirement Funds Africa (IRFA) has accomplished a great deal over its years of service to the retirement sector, through extensive strategy and operational development fully aligned with the South African (and to some extent the continental)...
Background The case concerned a funeral policy with Liberty Life (“the insurer”). The complainant was the beneficiary and premium payer. Ms R was both the policyholder and the life assured. Ms R (“the deceased”) died some 12 months after the policy was...
Financial planners must adapt — or risk losing clients to those who do. It's not about AI - but then again, it is It's fair to assume that all professionals possess the technical knowledge required for their field. Their competence is built on academic training and...
A pension fund is obliged to provide the Pension Funds Adjudicator (PFA) with requested information without obtaining consent from the beneficiaries. A fund cannot use the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) as a reason to withhold information from the PFA....
