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Pension Funds Act, 1956 (Act No. 24 of 1956)

Chapter IV : Documents to be Deposited with Registrar

16. Investigations by a valuator

 

(1) A registered fund shall, once at least in every three years, cause its financial condition to be investigated and reported upon by a valuator, and shall deposit a copy of such a report with the registrar, and shall send a copy of such report or a summary thereof, prepared by the valuator in a form prescribed and signed by the valuator, to every employer participating in the fund.

[Section 16(1) amended by section 29(a) of Act No. 45 of 2013]

 

(2) Such investigation shall be made in respect of the position as at the expiration of a financial year, and such report shall be deposited with the registrar within twelve months from the close of that year.

 

(3) In the case of a fund which is registered on the date of commencement of section 16 of the Financial Institutions Amendment Act, 1984, and which, before that date, has caused its financial condition to be investigated in terms of subsection (1), the first investigation after the said date shall be made in respect of the position as at the expiration of the fifth financial year which is completed after the financial year-end in respect of which the previous investigation was made or as at the expiration of such earlier financial year as the fund may select.

 

(3A) In the case of a fund which is registered on the date of commencement of section 16 of the Financial Institutions Amendment Act, 1984, but which has not, before that date, caused its financial position to be investigated in terms of subsection (1), the first investigation shall be made in respect of the position as at the expiration of the third financial year which is completed after that date or as at the expiration of the fifth financial year which is completed after the registration of the fund, whichever date is the earlier, or as at the expiration of such previous financial year as the fund may select.

 

(4) In the case of a fund other than a fund mentioned in subsection (3) or (3A), the first investigation shall be in respect of the position as at the expiration of the third financial year which is completed after the date of registration or as at the expiration of such previous financial year as the fund may select.

 

(5) Notwithstanding anything contained in the preceding subsections, the registrar may, after not less than one month's notice in writing to any registered fund, require that fund to cause such an investigation to be made in respect of the position as at the expiration of any financial year, if the registrar is of the opinion that an investigation would show that the fund is not in a sound financial condition: Provided that in the case of a fund which is carrying out the terms of a scheme approved by the registrar in terms of section eighteen, the registrar shall not act in accordance with the preceding provisions, unless he is of the opinion that an investigation would show that such scheme is unlikely to accomplish the objects of that section.

[Section 5 amended by section 29(b) of Act No. 45 of 2013]

 

(6)
(a) If the rules of a fund provide that the benefits which may become payable to a category of members are subject to the discretion of the management of the fund, the registrar shall, on request of the fund, on good cause shown by any officer of the fund or on the initiative of the registrar, determine what amount or scale of benefits is to be taken into consideration for the purpose of the valuation, and such determination by the registrar shall be binding upon the fund.
(b) The fund shall bear any expenses incurred by the registrar in respect of a matter contemplated in paragraph (a).

[Section 16(6) amended by section 29(c) of Act No. 45 of 2013]

 

(7) A report in terms of any of the preceding subsections shall include the particulars prescribed.

 

(8) Whenever a registered fund deposits with the registrar a copy of a report made by a valuator in terms of this section, it shall also deposit with the registrar a certificate by the board and by the principal officer that to the best of their knowledge and belief the information furnished to the valuator for the purposes of the report was correct and complete in every material respect and, where applicable, that a copy of the report or a summary thereof referred to in subsection (1) was sent to every employer participating in the fund.

 

(9) The provisions of section 15(3) in connection with a document relating to the financial position or the revenue or expenditure of a fund referred to therein, shall apply with the necessary changes in respect of a copy of a report deposited with the registrar in terms of subsection (1) of this section and which in the opinion of the registrar—
(a) other than in respect of a report on the valuation of a fund as at its surplus apportionment date, does not correctly reflect its financial condition referred to in the said subsection (1); or
(b) in respect of a report on the valuation of a fund as at its surplus apportionment date, does not correctly reflect its financial condition in subsection (1) or does not fairly take into consideration the interests of one or more of the stakeholders that may be entitled to participate in a scheme in terms of section 15B(1) based on the result of such report.

[Section 16(9) amended by section 29(d) of Act No. 45 of 2013]