Recently, I’ve been receiving complaints from members of the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) who say they are experiencing delays in receiving their benefit payments. These relate to resignation, divorce and death benefits.
These members claim that resignation benefits submitted in September 2024 have not yet been paid, and that the answer they’ve been given when querying this, is that “the actuaries are currently busy with the calculation process.”
I asked Brian Karidza, Head of Actuarial & Benefits Administration at the GEPF if the fund was having problems processing payments.
I am publishing his full response here.
Response from the GEPF
“While I understand the frustration felt by members experiencing delays, I want to reassure you that the Fund continues to pay the majority of benefits on time.
“As a large pension fund, our absolute number of late payments can appear high, but in proportional terms, the vast majority of claims are processed within the 60-day target once we have all the required documentation.
“That said, we do acknowledge there are challenges. In many instances, forms arrive late at GPAA or are returned to employers for corrections, which introduces additional processing time.
“Since the introduction of the Two-Component system, volumes of claims have increased more than tenfold, which has increased the workload and challenges, yet we have continued to pay the benefits.
“Finally, the development effort required to support complex benefit structures like the GEPF’s is naturally substantial, and the recent system enhancements have taken longer than anticipated.
“Nonetheless, I can confirm that payments are still being made, and we are continuously working with GPAA to streamline processes and reduce backlogs. Exits post 1 September 2024 are being paid, and the calculations and formulas have been in place and fully operational since then.
“Death benefits present additional challenges. We carry out thorough investigations to identify all potential legal, financial, and future beneficiaries, which can extend processing times.
“However, these procedures are essential to ensure that every entitled recipient is correctly and fairly paid. You will appreciate that this approach mirrors the rigorous standards applied by other funds governed by the Pension Funds Act.
“I should also clarify that GEPF benefits are not paid from taxpayer funds but from contributions and investment returns within the Fund. Any late-payment interest is likewise funded from those returns, so no external money is used.”
Hi Maya
My mother in law passed away in February, my husband and sibling put in a death benefit claim in May, no payments have been received to date. When we call in or physically go the keep saying “claim is at checking stage” how do we get this moving as it has been past the 60 day legislative process. Please can you kindly assist
On a death payment the time period is 12 months. The trustees need to consider all possible legal and financial dependants
Its been a year now no money paid by GEPF what’s going on
You can send me your persal number and contact details. I can’t promise anything but I will send to GEPF
My retirement benefits not yet paid when go to gepf been told money is on system wil be paid soon no money yet been paid
Hi,I am M.E Zide,I fall under Military Veterans Pensions Administrations Agency.I submitted all required forms at Mthatha satellite offices on the 10th of March 2025 through a pensions Benefits Access Form MVP01-2022,Military Veterans Act,(Act,No.18 of 2011)Section 5(1)h..till now nothing has happened,this is sixth month to be exact, what is really happening,I am running out of patience now,advice me 🙏
You can send me your persal number and contact details. I can’t promise anything but I will send to GEPF
I resigned last year November 2024. It is now August 2025 and I have not gotten anything! I am so sick of GEPF and their employees
You can send me your persal number and contact details. I can’t promise anything but I will send to GEPF
Hi
My divorce settlement was reached in March 2023 and claim submitted the following day at gepf offices in Pretoria.
I have been expecting a payment since June 2023 until the present day.
Everytime i enquire i am told that my file is at legal department.
I am unemployed and have children to feed.
Portion of the money is supposed to buy my ex husband out of our house.
This is really frustrating.
You can send me your persal number and contact details. I can’t promise anything but I will send to GEPF
Hi Maya. I resigned in August 2024 and exited on December 2024. It is now July 2025 and I still have not received my pension! My SARS directive has been finalised but no pension was paid out. I have sent an email, phoned several GEPF numbers multiple times and there is just never someone that picks up the phone.
What formula is used to calculate resignation benefits? Which salary is used as avarage salary when calculating resignation benefits?
Hi Maya
After numerous calls to GEPF since March 2025 regarding my resignation benefit, I have finally managed to obtain a batch number, which starts with the letter “S” followed by three digits (which means nothing to me).
I’ve suggested to the agents that clients should receive regular feedback on the backlog specifically, information on how much progress has been made and the order in which the batches are being processed (of which some understood and some where just plain rude).
We want updates on actual progress rather than being told that the file is with the actuaries every time we call in.
We just request transparency, including updates from the actuaries themselves, so we can understand where things stand.
Hi Maya
After numerous calls to GEPF since March 2025 regarding my resignation benefit, I have finally managed to obtain a batch number, which starts with the letter “S” followed by three digits (which means nothing to me).
I’ve suggested to the agents that clients should receive regular feedback on the backlog specifically, information on how much progress has been made and the order in which the batches are being processed (of which some understood and some where just plain rude).
We want updates on actual progress rather than being told that the file is with the actuaries every time we call in.
We just request transparency, including updates from the actuaries themselves, so we can understand where things stand.
Hi mam, I want to find out if I take an early retirement at 35 years but I’m on a contract with more than 10 years service and I don’t breach my contract, will I receive my GEHS savings. I don’t own a home or property but the money has accumulated over the years. Do I qualify to receive that savings or does it get forfeited.
Thank you.
Yes you will still receive the GEHS
Good day Maya
I submitted my divorce claim in February 2025 in Polokwane and I was advised it would take 60 working days to get the payout, but was also advised to call the Gepf head office to do a follow-up.
I call twice a week to check my file I was told is with the finance department busy with the calculation it’s been 6 weeks now still busy with the calculation. This other day I was told that the actuaries are waiting for the calculation method.
I lost my job and I can’t afford to pay my rent anymore and I have kids to take care of.
The whole procedure is frustrating.
Hi I’m Mthimkhulu IManuel Nomjana it’s been a year now no payment nothing each and every day when I call it’s a different stories I rather commit suiced and I will write a letter my family must blame GEPF
You can send me your persal number and contact details. I can’t promise anything but I will send to GEPF
Same thing happened to me Maya. I submitted beginning of May, the feedback I got was it was with Legal department. Guess what? He got mine 45 days after submitting his claim GEPF is failing us and we don’t even get feedback about the ongoing claims.
huge delays on divorce settlements. Send me the persal details and your contact details. I can’t promise anything but I can send to GEPF
Hi Maya, My father passed away in November 2024 and despite submitting all documents in order for my mother to receive the spousal pension she is now entitled to, to date nothing has been received. Each month I travel to the GPAA office in CT and each month they “escalate” the matter as according to them there is nothing holding up my mother’s pension and they cannot see anything which needs to be addressed. I cannot call the head office as the phones either dont work or are never answered. My mother is 88 years old and suffers from Cardiovascular disease and Kidney disease and she is a member of GEMS medical aid. Of utmost distress to her and our family is that she is without income now, and we are scrambling to pay the full GEMS subscription amount as without her pension being paid we cannot get the subsidiary benefit. The result of this is that we will have to cancel her medical aid in the near future. This is causing much anxiety to her. Are you able to assist us in any way? Or point us in right direction to someone who can? We are desperate please!
My employer submitted my document on 23july am know on pension waiting for payment of leave days
Send me the persal details and your contact details. I can’t promise anything but I can send to GEPF
Dear Mr Brian Karidza.
With all due respect to you and GPEF/GPAA.
Besides waiting for a death claim/spouse pension to be paid since June 2024, acknowledging the delays where the file has been Rejected 3 times.
Spent 2 months in Legal Department in 2024.
Recently back in Legal Department for 2 months (and no movement as we speak). Due to a (possible) beneficiary who passed.
Please do not flatter yourself because as much as I agree with due diligence, your Legal Department is both slow and understaffed. The Call Center at times will give you the ‘Please call again in 7 days”.
Further to that, the board of trustees decision to reallocate the percentages because “they can”, is utter BS. (Not sure if it pertains to your dept)
Nice to know that whilst you go home at night and have a full fridge, some of us are borrowing monies, assets being repossessed by lawyers.
So excuse me for my skeptism regarding the whole process.
Each department gets 60 days to process but if you realise how many departments checks there are, the whole process itself can take 3 years.
So I will happy to come sit with you and Miss Maya and the thousand others on a Zoom meeting and discussions solutions and the problems we face.
I am a pensioner without any income from Gepf for 8 months and I personally visited Gepf offices nothing promising and the supervisors said nothing they can do. I am on life threatening diseases and I don’t have medical aid. My cars repossessed and my house is also on line. My life policy elapsed. Why Gepf is busy killing pensioners
Send me the persal details and your contact details. I can’t promise anything but I can send to GEPF
Hi Maya
I am an IFA myself running a practice with 80% of my clients coming from retirements and GEPF.
The introduction of 2 Pot System revealed a lot of challenges and the fact that GEPF were never ready for this change.The ROT given to clients after a lengthy delay did not have 2 pot split,this created a problem with the fund managers to allocate the funds properly as their systems were updated to include 2 pot system but GEPF did not.GEPF had to create an annexure 6 which only one person was tasked to create.Then came the issue of Sars directive for the new allocation not being done which was not speaking to GEPF system.This happend to those who resigned …Those who retired through GEPF did not have problem to receive their funds.
The central person is the member,I wish GEPF can liaise with pension funds to sort out the systems so that members didn’t wait long to receive their funds.
Thank you for the feedback. Agreed, there were far too many issues with the system
Hi
i am a divorced wife and i struggle to survive with only my salary.
My CLAIM is now 4 months in progress and not yet finalized .
Some emails states it is finalized and other response say not yet?
How can i not support my child, food and give her a home if my money does not pay out??
I have bills to pay!!
They said it takes only 60 working days? So then now we are in 4 months?? How must i survive ?? What am i suppose to do??
It is a pity to hear something like this? My wife passed away in October 2024 and the death benefit has not been paid. I phone week in week out I’m told that the actuaries are waiting for the calculation method as a result of the two pot system implementation. I’m also told that since September 2024 no death cases have been paid. How true is this?
According to the response from GEPF, death claims have been paid but there have been issues with some of them. If you send me the persal number I can ask them
Good day
Please help with unclaimed benefits of deceased We submitted claim 26 june this year, it’s 60working day When we follow up there Say it’s paid by cheque
Send the persal and any other details you have
Good day please help my family gepf refuse to pay my deceased father pension for 1991 since 2021 the records shows that they didn’t pay because of tax directive , executor sorted that with SARS but gepf refuse to proceed they say is with reissue section
You can send me your persal number and contact details. I can’t promise anything but I will send to GEPF