We are proud to share the significant strides made in the Two-Pot Project, a transformative initiative that is reshaping the retirement landscape in South Africa. This complex, multi-phase programme has been a cornerstone of our commitment to enabling financial resilience and improving client experience in line with the evolving legislative framework. Phase 1 focused on the legislative requirements and was successfully implemented in 2024. Phase 2 is currently in progress and is focused on Automation and improving the client experience.
Withdrawal Claims – Faster Processing
Effective 1 May 2025, we implemented a key system enhancement to automate ‘Basic Withdrawal’ claims. These claims, which represent about 80% of all claims received, are defined as those where members request the maximum cash withdrawal allowed by legislation, with the balance remaining in-fund
Thanks to this development, the processing time for other withdrawal options has also reduced to 10 working days, a significantly shorter time frame compared to the previous turnaround time of 30 working days: a major step forward in improving member outcomes and service efficiency.
Retirement Claims – Our Biggest Milestone Yet
We are also proud to announce a major breakthrough in our service delivery: retirement claims are now paid within 10 working days. This marks our most significant milestone to date and reflects the success of our system enhancements and commitment to improving member outcomes. By streamlining the retirement claims process, we are ensuring that members transitioning into retirement receive their benefits faster and with greater peace of mind.
Important Note on SLA Timing:
Exceptions to note
It is important to note that the service level agreement (SLA) for processing a withdrawal or retirement claim may exceed 10 working days if deductions in terms of Section 37D are applicable. This delay is due to the manual processes involved in settling outstanding payment obligations, such as pension-backed loans or employer debt.
Important processes to take note of
- “Recognition of Transfer” (ROT) Form
To help us complete a transfer, please assist us by completing the ROT form correctly, with accurate transferee details and the advisor’s contact information. When sending it back, kindly reply to the original email thread (same subject and workflow number). This helps our system route the form directly to the administrator, so it can be processed without delay.
- Default Paid-Up Members – Regulation 38:
Members who’ve become default paid-up under Regulation 38 won’t appear on the Employer Portal for the employer to process as an exit. For the interim, please provide us with a manual claim form, a signed employer declaration and confirmation of the exit date. In addition, we also need confirmation of any Section 37D deductions to prevent fraud. We’re actively reviewing this process and will share an update soon on the way forward.
Support for Members and HR Teams
- Members: Contact us via WhatsApp at 0861 223 646 (available 24/7) or through our Contact Centre (Mon–Fri, 8am–5pm) at SCClientCare@sanlam.co.za.
- HR Teams: For guidance on the two-pot system and claims processing, please visit our website. For help with online submissions, contact your Client Relations Manager.
We want to thank all stakeholders for persevering with us as we embarked on our a claims’ automation journey. We remain committed to improving our processes to deliver better member outcomes and a more efficient client experience.
Kind regards,
Duran Chetty
Managing Executive: Core Operations