Thebe Mabanga
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has appointed Lebogang Paul Mogashoa as the Pension Funds Adjudicator (PFA) on a three-year term, effective 8 December.
The appointment was announced on Wednesday.
Mogashoa comes full circle with this appointment, having started his career as a legal intern at the Office of the Pension Fund Adjudicator, where he rose to become Senior Assistant Adjudicator.
The PFA is tasked with resolving disputes between Pension Funds and their members. The PFA also resolves complaints directed to its office in terms of section 211 of the Financial Sector Regulation Act, 2017.
“Mr. Mogashoa’s appointment is subject to the provisions of the PF Act, the PFMA, and applicable governance ordinances. As the PFA, he is mandated to establish and perform the functions of the OPFA and implement the duties as set out in the PF Act,” Treasury said in a statement.
Treasury described the role as “promoting accountability and fairness within the pension funds industry”.
Mogashoa takes over at a time when the Pension Fund industry is undergoing a transformation, most recently through the introduction of the two-pot withdrawal system.
The next big change is seen as the move towards making pension funds and retirement provision compulsory for a broader category of workers.
Mogashoa holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of Limpopo, a Master of Management (Governance and Management) from Wits University, and a Master of Laws (LLM) in Mercantile Law from the University of Pretoria.
He has also undergone an Executive Development Programme at the University of Stellenbosch.
Prior to taking up this role, he was Deputy Principal Executive Officer and Company Secretary of the Eskom Pension and Provident Fund and before that, he was a Senior Corporate Legal Counsel at the Pension Fund MANCO for the South African Tourism Board.
“Throughout his career within the pension funds sector, Mr. Mogashoa has demonstrated strong leadership and strategic insight, particularly in managing high-value litigation,” Treasury said.
“His profound understanding of the pension funds’ legal framework, coupled with his dedication to serving the South African public and all stakeholders, positions him as an ideal candidate to lead the OPFA.”
Mogashoa succeeds Muvhango Lukhaimane, who has concluded a 12-year stint in the role, having been appointed in June 2013 by the late former finance minister Pravin Gordhan.
INSIDE POLITICS