How can I access the money left by my late father at his old job if I don't have all the information and documents required?

The long answer

The first thing to do is to make a certified copy of the ID, and of your own ID. You should also make a sworn affidavit stating that you are your late father’s son and that you have not been assisted by his family with information, but that you were told by the company that you could claim the money he left you when you were 18. You could take these to the company and ask to speak to people in the Human Resources Department, who should have a record of your father’s employment and his ID, and his nomination of you to receive some money, and ask them to assist you. If they say they no longer have his details, as he died 20 years ago, ask them to help you to search the Unclaimed Benefits Search Engine.

This search engine is a central database which the Registrar of Pension Funds put up on the website of the Financial Service Conduct Authority (FSCA) so that members of the public could find out if there were any unclaimed benefits due to them.

They would have to input basic information into the Unclaimed Benefits Search Engine, such as your father’s name, surname, identification number, fund name, name of employer, and so on. The search engine would then check if there was a possible match. If the search engine finds a match, it will give the contact details of the fund and/or administrator. You can then go to this fund and/or administrator and ask them to assist you to get the money he left you.

You could also ask The Black Sash, an organisation that gives free paralegal advice, to help you. These are their contact details:

Email: help@blacksash.org.za 

Helpline: 072 663 3739 or 063 610 1865

Wishing you the best,
Athalie