The Scheme in principle works the same as your car insurance. You pay a premium to an insurer to cover the damages if you have been involved in an accident. The Scheme does not cover your car but it covers your life in case you pass away or you become permanently disabled and can no longer do your own work or any other work.

The Scheme is not a retirement fund that provides you with benefits at retirement or termination of service. It does however provide you as a member and employee of the City of Tshwane with death, funeral and disability benefits in terms of a life policy.

Unlike a retirement fund, you also do not have your own individual account where you accumulate savings. The premiums that you pay are used to provide you with the death, funeral and disability cover provided. There are no savings, and benefits will only be paid upon your death or if you become permanently disabled!

Except for the "Family Funeral Cover" (an additional non-compulsory funeral provided to new members of the Scheme ), the Scheme unfortunately only covers the main member (a person who is permanently employed by the City of Tshwane) in the event of death and disability.

All permanently employed employees of the City of Tshwane, who are not already a member of a similar scheme like for example the so-called Sanlam Centurion 2% and Akasia 2% schemes, should in terms of the City of Tshwane’s Conditions of Service be members of this Scheme.

The fastest way is to check your payslip for any deductions, ask your HR Support Service Officer, the Funds and Benefits Section or contact the Scheme for assistance.

If you answer “Yes” to any of the questions below, you are not allowed to be a member of the Scheme:
- Are you a contract worker?
- Are you contributing to the Centurion, Akasia or any other Sanlam
“2% scheme”?

Note: If you answer “No” to all the questions above, you should be a member. Immediately contact the Scheme or your HR for assistance.

No, unfortunately not.

Membership is compulsory for all permanently employed employees of the City of Tshwane for as long as they work for the City of Tshwane.

No. As already explained, there is no cash pay-out at termination of service.

A benefit will only be paid by the Scheme at the time of your death or when you become permanently disabled while in the employment of the City of Tshwane.

This is not a retirement fund where every member has their own savings account.

The premiums that you pay are for the death and disability cover provided.

Membership with the Scheme stops after 60 days from the day you terminated your service with the City of Tshwane. You remain covered until the 60 days have expired.

No, it does not have to.

Members terminating their service with the City of Tshwane have the option to convert any of their benefits into an individual policy with the Insurer without undergoing any medical examinations. This will allow exiting Members to continue having the benefits in place.

Members who consider this option need to contact the Scheme, who will provide them with more information and a no-obligation quote.

Should you however not make use of this continuation option, everything unfortunately stops.

This option allows members to convert their death, disability or funeral cover as provided by the Scheme (as on date of termination of service) into an individual policy with the insurer when terminating their service with the City of Tshwane.

The insurer will, without the submission of any medical examinations or reports, provide outgoing members with the same amount of death cover as the cover they had while they were employed

Applications to convert your benefits or cover into an individual policy must reach the Scheme within 60 days after termination of service.

To apply for the continuation option and to obtain a quick quote before making a final decision, simply complete a “Continuation Option” form and return it to the Scheme. The form is available on the scheme's website under "Forms", or you can get a copy from the administrator's office.

Your premium is calculated according to the option you selected. The premium is calculated as a percentage of your basic or pensionable salary.

Refer to the benefit summary provided on the website under "Options".

No.

Your premium(s) will be increased in the following circumstances:

1.
When your salary increases. Remember your premium is calculated as a % of your salary. So, as your salary increases so does your premium, but when this happens, your benefits with the Scheme also increase. Your salary, premium and benefits are all linked.

2.
Premiums may also increase or decrease after the insurer reviews the annual rates.

As from 1 December 2021 all death and funeral benefits will be paid out as follows:

If you submitted a completed Member Death and Funeral Benefit Nomination form to the Scheme, your benefits will be paid to the beneficiaries exactly according to the completed nomination form,

but

If you didn't submit a completed Member Death and Funeral Nomination Form to the Scheme, your full death and funeral benefit will, in terms of legislation be paid directly to your estate. None of your beneficiaries will receive a benefit directly from the Scheme!

This is very easy and simple!

Just complete and return a new "Member Death and Funeral Benefit Nomination Form" to the Scheme! These forms are available on the Scheme's website under "Forms", or you can get a copy from "One Stop" or the administrator's office.

Your beneficiaries can expect the following benefits when you pass away, again provided that you did submit a completed Death and Funeral Nomination Form:

1.
Death benefit lumpsum (the amount will depend on the cover option that you selected)
2.
Funeral cover of R40 000.

The purpose of this cover is to provide a member and his/her immediate family with funeral benefits when the member, his or her legal spouse or any of his or her eligible children should pass away.

No, It merely is an additional non-compulsory benefit offering to its members.

No, this option is now only available to newly appointed employees of the City of Tshwane Members.

The Member, and an unlimited number of children of the member will enjoy the cover provided, but only 1 spouse will be covered in the event of death.

The following cover for immediate family members applies:
Lives Covered Benefit Amount
Member R40 000.00
Spouse R40 000.00
Child aged 14 to 21 years R40 000.00
Child aged 6 to 13 years R20 000.00
Stillborn to child aged 5 years R10 000.00

No unfortunately not. Only immediate family (you, your spouse and your children) will be covered. Extended family members may not be included.

The current premium is R67.64 per month and will it be deducted directly from a member's monthly salary.

The premium is currently guaranteed until 30 June 2024.

Premiums will be revised annually on the 1st of July.

The Family Funeral Application and Nomination Form is normally provided to new members at the induction sessions arranged by the City of Tshwane, but forms are also available on the scheme’s website, from your HR Support Officer or One-Stop Services. Forms can also be requested from the Scheme’s administrator.

Permanent employees of the City of Tshwane or members of the scheme who is found to be totally and permanently disabled by the insurer to do any work that he/she is qualified for.

Permanent disability is when you suffer an illness or injury that leaves you unlikely to ever work in your own or any other occupation again.

A tax-free benefit, calculated according to the option selected will, depending on the medical condition either be paid out as a single lump sum or be paid over a period in monthly instalments.

Do not wait till the last day of employment. If you as a member is booked of work for more than a month due to a serious illness and/or injury, contact the Scheme in order to report a potential disability claim to the insurer.

This is actually the responsibility of the Employer. Remember, you as the employee could be unable to report a potential claim to the scheme due to illness or injury and is it thus the responsibility of your direct supervisor or HR Officer to report the claim on behalf of you and the Employer.

A possible disability should be reported as soon as,
1.
An employee is off from work due to illness of injury for a period exceeding 30 days.
2.
An employee is, because of his/her illness or injury no longer doing or able to do the actual work that the employee was appointed to do.
3.
it becomes a possibility of an employee losing his/her job due to a disability or illness.

Do not wait till the last day of employment, but rather apply or notify the Scheme as soon as any of the above occurs.

Important to take note that claims submitted to the Scheme after 12 months will be declined.

Contact the Scheme’s administrator. They will assist you with your application.

All death and disability claims must be submitted at the Scheme’s office at ARC Building, 1134 Park Street, Hatfield, Pretoria, 0083 (entrance in Grosvenor Street, opposite the Gautrain station),

The City of Tshwane must also be notified of the death, and family members and beneficiaries must visit One Stop Services at 252 Middestad Building, Corner of Francis Baard and Thabo Sehume Streets, 5th Floor, Pretoria Central to submit a claim against the deceased’s retirement fund.

All claims must be lodged or submitted with the Scheme within 12 months from date of death or termination of service due to disability. Claims submitted after 12 months will be declined by the Insurer.

By completing and returning the nomination form, it will:
1. Ensure that your death and funeral benefit(s) get paid-out to the
beneficiaries that you nominated and not to your estate!
2. Provide a clear instruction to the Scheme of how you want your
death benefit to be paid out;
3. Avoid wrongful payments in case of fraudulent claims received
against your death benefits;
4. Assist the Scheme to act in the best interest of your dependents
and loved ones; and
5. Help speed up the pay-out process.

Yes!

As from 1 December 2021 it became compulsory for the Scheme to pay out benefits strictly according to the nomination form in possession of the Scheme!

So only loved ones and beneficiaries included on your nomination form will receive benefits.

You may change your nomination form at any time and as often as you want! It is however advisable to update your nomination in the event of any big life-changing event, like marriage, divorce, birth or adoption of a child or death of a family member.

Beneficiaries' can include the people you nominated to receive your death benefits at the time of your death, your actual dependents, people who you financially assist or any other person(s), even if they do not necessarily depend on you financially.

You will not need money, but your family and loved ones staying behind might! You should rather be asking: Will my family be cared and provided for if I pass away?

No, this benefit does not automatically form part of the assets, but will all the benefits become part of the estate if you didn't complete and submit a valid nomination form to the scheme.

An estate is the assets (this includes cash, capital, real estate, personal property, and other investments) and liabilities (outstanding debt, funeral expenses, taxes, and any other administrative costs that must be paid, upon one's death) that a dead person has at the time of his or her death.

The purpose of an estate is to, after the death of a person, collect all the deceased’s assets, pay all the deceased’s liabilities and to then distribute all the remaining assets amongst the deceased’s beneficiaries in accordance with the deceased’s Will.

A Will is a legal document that spells out your wishes about who should get what after your death.

The main purpose of a will is to ensure that your wishes are carried out upon your death.

A will (like your death benefit nomination form with the Scheme) needs to be revised from time to time, especially if important events have taken place in the life of the testator (the person making the will). These events may include the birth of a child, marriage, divorce, death of a beneficiary or executor, acquiring property that is not part of the existing will, etc.

To ensure the people you want to inherit your estate do so, you need to have a thorough last will and testament put in place that cover every asset you have accumulated in your lifetime.

The aid of a fiduciary expert in this regard, like a law firm, bank, trust company or your financial adviser, cannot be overstated.

They can ensure that your will is witnessed properly and can it be fast-tracked through the legal system following your death.