Sanlam says pension claims are false

CATHERINE SASMAN The Sanlam Group has categorically denied that it is in the process of facilitating pension payouts to former SWATF members, as is alleged by a group who is currently registering former soldiers for the purported payouts.Tertius Stears, Sanlam Group chief executive officer, in a statement this week cautioned the public that such information is “completely false” and “totally misleading” adding there is “no pension payout administered by Sanlam to any former SWATF and Koevoet soldiers”.“Members of the public and especially the former SWATF and Koevoet are strongly advised that should they receive similar communication in the form of a letter, email or text notification, to be cautious and not hesitate to contact Sanlam since this information is false,” Stears stated.A group calling itself the ex-South-West Africa Territorial Forces is currently registering former soldiers for the alleged pension pay-outs at the Frans Indongo Building in the city centre from the parliamentary offices of the Workers Revolutionary Party (WRP), which is occupied by the two WRP members of parliament Samuel Fleermuys and Benson Kaapala.Hordes of former soldiers have reportedly already registered and a steady stream is continuously going to the offices to get registered.The national coordinator of the registration process, George Smieer, said the pension claims being made stem from deductions made from the ex-soldiers’ salaries for a pension group scheme agreed to by the former South West Africa government and Sanlam in 1981.He claimed that former soldiers did not sign up to join the group scheme and that the money was deducted without their consent.Smieer said this money was supposed to have been paid out at independence in 1990 but that this has not yet happened.He presented a payslip dating 1988 of a former SWATF soldier which shows that deductions were made on items such as “A/Sanlam”,” SAW Ass” [Suid-Afrikaanse Weermag Assuransie] (or South African Army Insurance), and “SWAGM-Stig” [Suidwes Afrikaanse Gebiedsmag Stigting] (SWATF Foundation).According to Smieer, 28 names have already been forwarded to Sanlam for the payouts. He said these payments were to be “processed” before the end of this month. REGISTRATION PROCESS QUESTIONEDQuestions have been raised about the manner in which the registration process is being carried out.At registration, ex-soldiers are presented, among others, with a form which they have to sign that purportedly gives Fleermuys permission to get “SWATF payroll information from the Ministry of Finance” so that Fleermuys “can claim” the respective ex-soldiers’ “pension fund (money) from insurance companies”.They are then requested to provide their SWATF force numbers and rank with a certified copy of their identity documents.Sources, however, claimed that it is also required from the ex-soldiers to bring along their voters cards to the registration process.Smieer denied vehemently that this is a recruitment gimmick by Fleermuys, as was suggested by some sources, saying it was only required if the ex-soldiers cannot present any other proof of identification.“The registration has nothing to do with the WRP or any other political party. We are using the WRP offices because we currently do not have our own office. The WRP is merely helping us out but we are in the process of finding our own office,” said Smieer.Smieer added: “We do not want to provoke anyone. This is only about withdrawals made from our salaries.”Registration a “scam”The leader of the WRP, Hewat Beukes, said the registration exercise is a “comprehensive scam concocted” by Fleermuys who allegedly intends to present the registered names as WRP members and his and Kaapala’s supporters.Beukes and others are attempting to have Fleermuys and Kaapala removed as WRP parliamentarians, claiming that neither of the MPs are members of the party anymore and say the WRP parliamentary offices are being used illegally for the registration process.Speaker of the National Assembly Peter Katjavivi however, has so far refused to have the two removed, claiming that there are two factions in the party. Katjavivi has also refused to disburse parliamentary funds to the WRP.The Beukes group has launched a national and international campaign against the denial of Katjavivi to remove Fleermuys and Kaapala and on 12 January, wrote a letter to Minister of Finance Calle Schlettwein to cease all payments to Fleermuys and Kaapala until such time that the issue of all payments due to the WRP and its nominated parliamentarians, is resolved.

Sanlam says pension claims are false

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-16

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Sanlam says pension claims are false

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-16

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