The occupational pillar of the South African pension system

Figures & data

Benefits paid by all pension funds, 2001

Type of spending	R million	% of lump sum payments	% of total benefits
Pensions	25 536		23,0
Lump sum payments	85 670		77,0
• On retirement or death	19 897	23,2	17,9
• Resignation and termination	62 291	72,7	56,0
• Other	3 482	4,1	3,1
Total	111 206	100	100
Source: Registrar of Pension Funds (2001).

Investment instruments utilised by self‐administered funds, expressed as a percentage of total investment, 1997, 1999 and 2001

Investment instruments	1997	1999	2001
Immovable properties	4,1	3,6	2,7
Equities	43,0	34,3	31,1
Unit trust schemes	2,9	5,8	5,1
Debentures	0,4	0,2	0,01
Loans	0,5	0,6	0,8
Participating mortgage bonds	0,0	0,0	0,0
Bills, bonds and securities	14,8	12,0	11,2
Deposits and Kruger rands	5,4	7,0	6,3
Insurance policies	26,2	28,2	32,6
Derivative market instruments	0,03	0,08	0,02
Other investments	0,4	0,2	0,1
Foreign investment	2,1	8,0	10,1
Total	100	100	100
Note: The total in each case might not add up due to rounding off. Sources: Registrar of Pension Funds (1997, 1999, 2001).

Investment performances of funds provided by the Assetbase International Performance Survey for standard risk portfolios, aggressive risk portfolios and conservative risk portfolios, for the one‐, three‐ and five‐year periods ending 30 June 2002

	Percentage change
	One year	Three year	Five year
Number of managers (including universe)	31	29	24
Highest	31,86	32,51	27,39
Top quartile	14,52	16,73	13,18
Median	12,70	15,40	12,10
Bottom quartile	10,11	13,94	10,42
Lowest	4,79	11,79	8,33
Aggressive risk portfolios
Number of managers (excluding universe)	10	9	5
Highest	16,50	18,84	17,29
Top quartile	14,07	16,82	16,61
Median	13,34	15,23	14,38
Bottom quartile	8,26	12,84	10,57
Lowest	1,75	9,50	9,48
Conservative risk portfolios
Number of managers (excluding universe)	4	4	3
Highest	14,14	16,73	14,78
Top quartile	13,33	15,81	14,60
Median	12,21	15,11	14,45
Bottom quartile	9,07	14,31	14,03
Lowest	8,35	11,86	13,01
Source: Downie (2002:3.5–3.9).