FSCA COMMUNICATION 17 OF 2022 (RF)
Arrear contributions: An alert to retirement funds and employers
- Purpose
This communication is meant to alert retirement funds and employers regarding arrear
contributions by retirement funds and employers. The Financial Sector Conduct Authority
(“the Authority”) intends to publish the names of those retirement funds and employers who
are in arrears. - Background
2.1 Arrear contributions arise when employers:
(a) deduct retirement contributions from employees’ salaries and do not transmit this
money into the bank account of a retirement fund, or
(b) fail to transmit employer contributions, in terms of the retirement funds’ (in which they
participate) rules, into the fund’s bank account.
Arrear contributions do not arise in instances where the fund and employer have registered
and applied rules which enable the suspension of contribution payments for a period
2.2 In terms of Section 13A of the Pension Funds Act, 1956 (Act No. 24 of 1956) (“PFA”), funds
have 7 days after the expiration of the period in respect of which contributions are due, to
pay the contributions over to the funds.
2.3 Section 37(1) of the PFA makes the contravention of section 13A (non-payment of
contributions) a criminal offence, with consequences of potential personal liability for the
directors.
2.4 Our preliminary statistics indicate that municipalities and private sector companies have
approximately R1 billion and R6 billion arrear contributions, respectively. This compromises
good outcomes for members of funds who would have to retire short of their full retirement
benefits. - Intention to publish of names of retirement funds and employers with arrear
contributions
3.1 Retirement funds and employers are hereby formally alerted to an imminent publication of
the names of employers and funds with arrear contributions. The Authority is currently
compiling the list and checking the accuracy of the value of arrear contributions.
3.2 Retirement funds must immediately share this communication with the employers.
- Enquiries
4.1 For further information regarding this Communication please contact the Authority by
emailing Ms. Corlia Buitendag, at [email protected].
OB MAKHUBELA
DIVISIONAL EXECUTIVE: RETIREMENT FUNDS SUPERVISION
Date of publication: 9 June 2022