Your employer deducts pension but doesn't pay it? Here's how to check

The pension money on your payslip may never have reached your fund. Employers not paying over deducted contributions made up 61.48% of the complaints the Pension Funds Adjudicator investigated and closed in 2025/26, its latest annual report shows.

The office received a record 13,041 complaints in the year, up 26% from 10,331. Many workers only find the gap when they try to withdraw, for example from the savings pot under the two-pot system, the adjudicator said in the report.

What does the law say your employer must do?

Under section 13A of the Pension Funds Act, your employer must pay both your deducted contribution and its own share into the fund in full, no later than seven days after the end of the month. A contribution statement must reach the fund within 15 days, according to the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA)/cr3ad_document/$value).

So money deducted from your May salary must be in the fund by 7 June. Late payments attract interest.

If contributions are still missing after 90 days, the fund's board must report it to the police and tell members what action it has taken, the FSCA's reporting timeline/cr3ad_document/$value) sets out.

How can you check if your contributions were paid?

• Compare your payslips with your latest benefit statement from the fund. The amounts and months should match.
• Ask the fund or its administrator in writing for a statement of contributions received for your name and ID number.
• Look for gaps, such as months with a deduction on your payslip but no payment on the fund statement.

How do you complain?

First, complain in writing to the fund or your employer. By law they have 30 days to reply, the adjudicator's FAQs explain.

If they don't reply within 30 days, or you're unhappy with the answer, take it to the adjudicator:

• Online: through the complaint page on the adjudicator's website
• By email: send the complaint form to [email protected]
• Toll-free help line: 080 074 4444

Attach a copy of your ID, payslips showing the deductions, your benefit statement and proof that you complained to the fund or employer first, plus any reply. The service is free and you don't need a lawyer, the adjudicator says.

Don't wait too long. Complaints generally have to be lodged within three years of when you became aware of the problem, according to the adjudicator.

Who is most affected?

Security guards stand out. The Private Security Sector Provident Fund accounted for 49% of complaints received in 2025/26, and the adjudicator's report criticised the fund for lacking an effective system to detect employers who don't pay, IOL reported. The fund itself told employers that more than 61% of them are non-compliant.

In 2025/26 the adjudicator finalised 11,047 complaints and issued orders worth about R99.8 million, according to its report. Unpaid contributions can also affect death, disability and funeral cover linked to your fund, IOL reported.