GEPF FundTalk: Key Highlights on Unclaimed Benefits, Customary Marriages and Digital Access

Key takeaways

• Unclaimed benefits occur when sums owed to current or former public service members, or their beneficiaries, remain unpaid for more than 24 months. The Fund outlines who may qualify (retired members, those who left public service without claiming, and beneficiaries of deceased members) and explains several outreach methods (roadshows, mobile offices, campaigns, community engagements, media, newsletters) used to locate rightful recipients. Members can assist by keeping their personal details up to date, especially nomination information, and by contacting the GEPF Call Centre or visiting a local walk-in centre to verify eligibility and speed up processing.

• The Government Employees Pension Fund recognizes customary marriages under South African law and stresses the importance of registering such marriages with the Department of Home Affairs or through an approved traditional leader within three months of the union. Registration helps ensure that the correct beneficiaries are identified when benefits are paid and reduces disputes about marital status after a member’s death. Challenges arise when marriages are not formally registered or documentation (like lobola records) is missing, complicating validation and cooperation between families. For further guidance, the Fund points to the Government Employees Pension Fund Ombud and related authorities.

• Noncontributory benefits funded by the GEPF cover funeral benefits, injury on duty, and child pensions, with specific eligibility rules for spouses, dependents, and disabled children. The Self-Service App, launched in 2021, provides convenient access to key information such as benefit statements, payment advice, tax certificates, and Two-Pot details, with ongoing enhancements planned (including potential access to spouse pensions and funeral benefits) to simplify the member experience and support timely benefit payments.

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