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.”