As medical schemes launch their annual contribution and benefit changes, the focus understandably turns to what the new year will cost.

For many scheme members, private healthcare represents a significant household expense. At the same time, it provides access to quality healthcare and financial protection, necessitating the purchase.

This makes a review of your healthcare benefits about more than comparing contribution increases. It is an opportunity to understand whether your current healthcare arrangements continue to meet your needs, which benefits are being utilised, and where you may have gaps in cover or unnecessary expenditure.

Here are five things to consider when reviewing your healthcare benefits.

1. Start with a review of your historic utilisation and healthcare needs

Your claims history provides a useful picture of how you and your dependants have used your medical scheme over the past few years. Rather than looking only at the total amount claimed, consider the types of healthcare services you have accessed and how these were funded.

For example, look at your use of general practitioners and specialist consultations, chronic medication and disease management, dentistry and optometry, diagnostic tests and imaging, in-hospital and day procedures.

It is equally important to consider what may change. A historical claims review is useful, but it cannot account for a new diagnosis, a planned procedure, changing family circumstances, or other healthcare needs that may arise during the next benefit year.

2. Understand your hospital and related accounts

Protection against the potentially high cost of hospitalisation and access to appropriate healthcare remain fundamental reasons for belonging to a medical scheme.

Most options provide unlimited hospital cover, but this does not necessarily mean that every cost associated with an admission will be covered in full. Network hospitals, designated service providers, pre-authorisation requirements, co-payments and reimbursement rates all affect the level of cover and the member’s potential financial liability for account shortfalls.

Before changing options, understand:

• Which hospitals are available for planned admissions and whether designated service providers apply;
• What co-payments and/or deductibles apply to the plan and when they apply;
• How specialist and other provider fees are reimbursed; and
• Benefits covered, limits, and authorisation requirements.

3. Look at how your day-to-day healthcare is funded

Day-to-day benefits in most benefit structures are largely funded through a Medical Savings Account model. There are options which provide risk-funded benefits, defined limits or a combination of funding mechanisms.

While downgrading to a hospital plan may reduce the monthly contribution, it may result in greater out-of-pocket expenditure, depending on your claiming patterns.

For some, the upfront allocation of a medical savings account is meaningful in their access to care, whilst others opt to carry the cost of their day-to-day expenses from their own pocket.

The important point is to understand the trade-off between annual contribution savings and additional costs that may arise from reduced benefits linked to your day-to-day benefit needs.

4. Review your Chronic, Preventative, Screening and PMB benefits

Medical schemes are placing a larger focus on preventative and screening benefits. These benefits should not be overlooked as they include health assessments, screening tests and other preventative interventions, depending on the option. Some medical schemes are incentivising members for participation by enhancing their day-to-day funding and access to benefits.

If you or a dependant has a chronic condition, check that the condition is correctly registered with the scheme and understand the requirements for accessing the relevant chronic benefits. This includes any treatment protocols, formularies or designated providers that apply.

Prescribed Minimum Benefits (PMBs) should also form part of this review. PMBs provide cover for a defined list of conditions and treatments, subject to the applicable requirements and managed-care protocols. Understanding how these benefits operate is particularly important where a member is managing a significant ongoing condition.

5. Consider your healthcare benefits as a complete picture

Finally, consider your healthcare benefits beyond the medical scheme itself. As South African medical schemes navigate the rising cost of healthcare, and members balance affordability, supplementary products such as gap cover should be a key consideration.

Gap cover provides cover for medical expense shortfalls for claims not fully covered by your medical scheme. Benefits can include cover for in-hospital shortfalls, co-payment cover and medical scheme contribution waivers.

Cost Pressures on Medical Schemes

For medical schemes and their members, affordability is becoming harder to separate from sustainability. Healthcare utilisation is increasing, the membership of medical schemes is gradually ageing, and members are carrying more of the cost when scheme benefits do not fully meet the cost of care.

At the same time, the regulatory environment is beginning to address more fundamental questions about how healthcare benefits should be structured. The result is a healthcare landscape being influenced by two forces at once, pressure on the existing funding model and reform of the model itself.

Medical Inflation: Balancing Costs with Affordability

The Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) reported that medical schemes covered 9.17 million beneficiaries in 2024, with membership increasing by just 0.45%. The average age of beneficiaries increased from 32 years to 34.2 years, continuing the gradual ageing of the medical scheme population.

Against this relatively modest membership growth, total healthcare benefits paid increased by 8.52% to R259.3 billion. Hospital services accounted for 35.95% of expenditure, followed by specialist services at 28.02% and dispensed medicines at 14.05%. The cost per hospital admission increased by 9.88%, despite fewer admissions.

Out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure remains a significant source of financial pressure, particularly where provider charges, benefit limits, tariffs and co-payments or network arrangements leave members responsible for part of the cost.

In contrast, the industry remains financially resilient. The CMS reported a solvency ratio of 40.87% in 2024, well above the statutory minimum of 25%. The concern is not whether medical schemes can meet their obligations today, but how the sector maintains sustainable benefits as healthcare costs continue to increase.

Benefit Reform and Access to Care

Prescribed Minimum Benefits (PMBs): Reforming the Foundation of Medical Scheme Benefits
The update issued in the latest CMS Circular 22 of 2026 covers the current focus on developing and costing a comprehensive Primary Healthcare (PHC) package, with the CMS and National Department of Health working towards alignment of the PHC packages for both the private and public sectors. The CMS is also developing a potential base benefits package comprising prioritised primary healthcare services and selected PMBs, with affordability and utilisation forming part of the assessment. In parallel, the CMS is developing PMB Definition Guidelines to ensure existing PMB entitlements remain evidence-based and aligned with developments in healthcare policy and treatment guidelines. There are no immediate changes to existing PMB entitlements.

The significance of this work extends beyond the technical definition of PMBs. It raises a broader question of what the minimum level of healthcare protection should be, and how that protection can remain affordable and sustainable.

This will become increasingly important as the sector considers greater emphasis on prevention and primary care alongside treatment of established disease.

Low-Cost Benefit Options (LCBOs)
The same affordability question sits behind the development of Low-Cost Benefit Options (LCBOs).

The intention is to create more affordable regulated healthcare cover for individuals who cannot readily afford conventional medical scheme options. However, achieving this requires more than reducing the price of a product. The level of benefits, risk pooling, PMB obligations and access to appropriate healthcare all need to be considered.

The LCBO review has progressed through the CMS’s framework development and public consultation stages, but a final LCBO framework has not yet been approved and implemented.

Primary Healthcare Products
Primary health insurance products have emerged as a valuable, affordable healthcare access solution.

These solutions, which cover day-to-day healthcare needs such as GP visits, basic dentistry, and medication, are not intended to replace full medical aid but rather serve as a complementary or interim solution. The value and role of primary health insurance products, particularly in serving the “missing middle” and supporting private healthcare access in underserved markets, have resulted in the government granting a series of exemptions under these regulations. As of 2025, the exemptions have been extended to 31 March 2027.

The Bigger Policy Picture

National Health Insurance
The NHI Act was signed into law in May 2024, with implementation structured across two phases: 2023–2026 and 2026–2028. The legislation provides for a progressive implementation approach, including health system strengthening and, in the second phase, selective contracting of healthcare services from private providers.

NHI is moving beyond being solely a legislative debate. The National Department of Health’s 2026/27 plans include work on healthcare benefit prioritisation, health technology assessment, provider accreditation and elements of the primary healthcare infrastructure required to support implementation.

However, the future operating model remains subject to significant policy, legal and implementation considerations.

The Constitutional Court’s 18 May 2026 judgment on the Certificate of Need is one such development. The Court confirmed the unconstitutionality of sections 36 to 40 of the National Health Act, which established the Certificate of Need framework.

For the private healthcare sector, the longer-term question remains how NHI, medical schemes and private providers will interact as implementation progresses.

Looking Ahead

South Africa is not simply experiencing rising healthcare costs. The country is reconsidering how healthcare should be funded, what level of care should be guaranteed and how that care can remain affordable.

The PMB review, primary healthcare reform, LCBO development and NHI are all part of that broader conversation, however they are progressing at different speeds and remain subject to further regulatory and policy developments.

The first half of 2026 was characterised by continued retirement reform implementation, evolving financial sector regulation, changing investment market conditions and a heightened focus on sustainability and risk management.
For retirement funds, insurers, asset managers and institutional investors, the period reinforced the importance of preservation, governance, regulatory readiness and portfolio resilience, particularly amid market volatility as a result of unpredictable geopolitical developments.

Retirement Industry Developments

The most significant retirement-related development remained the ongoing implementation and refinement of South Africa’s Two-Pot Retirement System. Although introduced in September 2024, the first half of 2026 provided the clearest indication yet of its long-term impact. Industry data showed continued high utilisation of the savings component, reflecting persistent financial pressure on households. At the same time, evidence suggested improved preservation outcomes, with fewer members cashing out their full retirement savings when changing employment.

The 2026 Budget introduced several important retirement fund amendments effective from 1 March 2026:

• The annual tax-deductible retirement contribution ceiling increased from R350000 to R430000, encouraging higher retirement savings among middle and higher-income earners.
• The retirement interest de minimis threshold increased from R247500 to R360000, allowing more retirees with relatively small balances to commute their funds fully rather than being required to purchase an annuity.
• The living annuity commutation threshold also increased from R125000 to R150000.
• The annual contribution limit for tax-free investment products increased from R36000 to R46000. However, on a slightly disappointing note, there was no mention at this stage of the lifetime limit increasing beyond R500000 for tax-free savings investment accounts.
• The tax-free lump sum available at retirement remains at R550000.

These changes were broadly welcomed by the retirement fund industry as measures that will help improve retirement flexibility and align thresholds more closely with inflation and changing retirement realities.

Regulatory and Governance Developments

A major regulatory milestone was the Cabinet’s approval of the Conduct of Financial Institutions (COFI) Bill, late in March 2026, resulting in the formal introduction to Parliament in April 2026.

COFI aims to replace numerous fragmented financial sector conduct laws with a single, harmonised conduct framework. The objective is to move from regulating products in silos (insurance, investments, retirement funds, banking and advice) to regulating how financial institutions conduct business and treat customers across the entire financial sector.

The bill shifts regulation towards an outcome-based approach, where regulators assess whether customers receive fair outcomes rather than institutions simply complying with technical rules. It is expected to become the cornerstone of South Africa’s conduct regulation framework and will have significant implications for retirement funds, insurers, investment managers and financial advisers.

Investment Market Developments

The investment environment during the first quarter of 2026 was initially shaped by favourable domestic conditions that were sadly disrupted by the outbreak of the Iranian war. South Africa entered the year with improving growth expectations, moderating inflation and increasing investor optimism; however, this market optimism shifted following the escalation of tensions in the Middle East during the second quarter. This has resulted in rising oil prices, increased inflation risks globally and the reversal of future interest-rate reductions to a domestic 0,25% interest rate increase. The Financial markets experienced periods of increased volatility, and investors have reassessed growth and inflation expectations.

South African bond markets have remained relatively attractive from a global perspective, supported by improving fiscal credibility, policy stability and strong real yields. The South African Reserve Bank has maintained a cautious approach, balancing its inflation-targeting mandate against domestic growth considerations.

The first half of 2026 has again demonstrated that the South African retirement and investment landscape continues to evolve rapidly. The key themes have included the successful implementation of preservation-focused retirement reforms, increased regulatory sophistication, and heightened geopolitical uncertainty affecting investment markets. The retirement funds and asset managers that strengthen governance and maintain diversified investment strategies are likely to be best positioned for the remainder of 2026 and beyond.

As South Africa marks Youth Month, families are urged to treat financial literacy as an essential life skill, amid growing concern that many young people enter adulthood without the confidence or knowledge to manage their finances effectively.

Financial literacy, commonly defined as the ability to use knowledge and skills to make effective and informed money decisions, is increasingly being seen as a practical tool for helping children avoid cycles of debt, dependency and impulsive spending later in life.

Experts say these lessons should not be limited to a single conversation. Instead, they should be built into everyday family life through regular discussions, good habits and real-world examples.

The need is becoming more urgent as children and teenagers face a complex financial environment shaped by easy access to credit, online advertising and social media influencers promoting unrealistic lifestyles and spending habits.

Without a basic understanding of budgeting, saving and long-term planning, many young adults may take years to build healthy financial habits, often after costly mistakes. Early guidance, experts say, can help children grow into adults who are more secure, independent and prepared for financial decisions.

Teaching children about money from an early age can also reduce anxiety around finances, strengthen decision-making skills and encourage a more mindful relationship with spending.

Why early financial literacy matters

• It helps children make responsible decisions about saving, budgeting and spending.
• It encourages independence and empowers children to set goals and work steadily towards them.
• It builds confidence and helps young people avoid scams, debt traps and poor money choices later in life.
• It reinforces the idea that strong daily habits create long-term financial stability.

Parents’ behaviour remains one of the strongest teachers

1. Planning before spending: Children learn patience and self-control when adults make thoughtful, deliberate purchasing decisions.
2. Saving consistently: Regular saving shows that financial progress is built over time through discipline and consistency.
3. Managing responsibilities calmly: Paying bills on time and managing commitments well creates stability and sets a strong example.
4. Showing gratitude: Contentment helps children understand that a meaningful life is not driven only by consumption or comparison.

As South Africa reflects on the future of its youth this June, one message stands out clearly: teaching children about money is not simply about rands and cents, but about giving them the confidence, discipline, and judgment to navigate life wisely. Each of us has a responsibility to make financial literacy part of everyday learning. By doing so, we can help raise a generation that is better equipped to make responsible choices, avoid unnecessary hardship and build a more secure future. For families looking for a practical resource, Manage Your Money Like a Grown-Up for Teens by Sam Beckbessinger offers an accessible introduction to money matters for younger readers.

When South Africa launched its two-pot retirement framework in September 2024, media reports predicted a financial disaster, warning that struggling citizens would rapidly drain their savings. However, early industry data suggests a far more optimistic reality. According to Guy Chennells, Chief Commercial Officer of Discovery Corporate & Employee Benefits, this regulatory shift is helping to prevent South Africans from retiring in poverty and could significantly improve the final savings of the average worker.

Historically, South Africa’s retirement landscape had a critical flaw. Under previous regulations, employees who resigned could cash out 100% of their accumulated pension. While this provided an immediate financial lifeline, it often undermined long-term security, leaving many individuals financially vulnerable in old age. The newly implemented system is designed to address this weakness.

The reform changed the old rules by dividing retirement savings into three categories. The first is the vested component, which includes all funds accumulated before September 2024. Members may still withdraw this money when they resign, but only once.

The second is the savings pot. It was initially seeded with 10% of vested savings, capped at R30,000, and now receives one-third of all new monthly contributions. Members are allowed one withdrawal per tax year, provided the amount is at least R2,000.

The final category is the retirement pot, which locks away the remaining two-thirds of future contributions until retirement. For new entrants to the workforce, there is no vested component at all, removing the temptation to cash out their savings when they resign.

Withdrawal behaviour has also challenged early fears about the system.

After an expected initial surge in claims, monthly withdrawal rates stabilised fairly quickly. A small spike occurred at the start of the new tax year in March 2025, driven largely by repeat claimants. Interestingly, average payouts fell sharply for both first-time and repeat withdrawals. This may naturally discourage frequent withdrawals in future.

Financial planners often suggest a net replacement rate of about 75%, meaning retirees should aim to retain roughly three-quarters of their final salary. Under the old system, frequent job changes could severely undermine this ratio.

Data models show substantial improvements under the new rules. Consider a 25-year-old earning R240,000 a year. Under the old system, cashing out every five years could reduce their replacement ratio to just 4%. Under the two-pot framework, even if they withdraw from their savings pot every year until age 45 before preserving the rest, their replacement ratio could rise to 48%.

Similarly, a 40-year-old late starter who regularly cashed out under the old system could also end up with a replacement ratio of about 4%. Under the new framework, even with maximum annual withdrawals, they could still retire with close to 20% – nearly five times better.

The benefits extend beyond individuals to the wider economy.

In simple terms, whether people save diligently, dip into their accessible funds occasionally, or withdraw from their savings pot more regularly, the new rules still leave them better off than before. When these individual outcomes are applied to the broader national economy, the potential impact is equally significant.

Under the old system, total industry assets were projected to grow from R4 trillion today to R50 trillion over four decades. The two-pot framework changes that outlook dramatically. Even if every eligible citizen makes annual withdrawals, national retirement assets are projected to reach R150 trillion. If current behavioural trends continue, with six in ten workers preserving their wealth, the national asset pool could exceed R200 trillion, making this framework a powerful driver of long-term economic stability.

References

1. Two-pot system could quadruple South Africans’ savings, Discovery says – Posted on 28 August 2025 by Nettalie Viljoen.
2. Two-pot reform does not unlock vested RA benefits – Tribunal – Posted on 16 February 2026 by Moonstone Information Refinery
3. Two-pot withdrawals surge as repeat claims reshape savings behaviour- Posted on 19 March 2026 by Moonstone Information Refinery
4. https://www.ebnet.co.za/retirement-preservation-increase-as-two-pot-system-reshapes-member-behaviour/ by Anna Siwiak. [26 March 2026].
5. https://www.fanews.co.za/article/retirement/1357/general/1358/
6. Retirement Preservation Increases as Two-Pot System Reshapes Member Behaviour [24 March 2026].
7. Digital access reshapes retirement withdrawals under South Africa’s Two Pot system. South Africa’s Two-Pot system

One of my earliest childhood memories is being bundled into the back of my mom’s white Volkswagen Beetle with my brother as we set out to the local garage to get some fuel. There was no fuel available, and we had to try a few locations before my mom pulled out her wallet and paid cash to fill up half a tank. Fast forward to the day before the petrol price increase on 1 April this year, and déjà vu: we could finally fill up at the third garage we found en route home.

Pre-1994

The South African economy has been at the mercy of international events affecting oil prices since the 1970s.

South Africa is a net importer of crude oil and refined fuels. Consequently, fluctuations in global oil prices consistently impact the economy through inflation, growth, fiscal pressure, and currency dynamics. Although policy frameworks have developed over time, this vulnerability has persisted since the 1970s.

The global oil crises of 1973 and 1979 coincided with international sanctions against apartheid South Africa, creating a severe external shock. Iran’s withdrawal as a major oil supplier and OPEC embargoes sharply increased import costs amid political isolation.

The economic effects included:

• Rising inflation driven by fuel and transport costs
• Balance of payments pressure
• Declining growth and rising unemployment
• Accelerated investment in synthetic fuels (Sasol) to reduce strategic dependence

Although higher gold prices provided temporary relief, the 1970s marked a shift from high-growth conditions to a long period of lower growth with structurally higher inflation.

Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, South Africa was isolated, and oil price volatility led to stagnant growth and high inflation. We produced more synthetic fuel, but this did not protect the economy from global oil prices, and the manufacturing, transport, and agriculture sectors suffered. Inflationary shocks remained a persistent feature of the economic cycle.

Post -1994

After 1994, South Africa was reintegrated into global markets, which increased our exposure to oil price volatility.

The following factors now affect our economy:

• Monthly fuel price adjustments linked to international oil prices and the rand–dollar exchange rate
• Fuel costs have a direct impact on food and consumer inflation
• Heightened sensitivity of monetary policy to oil-driven inflation risks

Oil price stability has supported growth and interest rate cuts; oil shocks have consistently reversed these gains.

In recent decades, oil price shocks have been amplified by rand weakness, turning external price increases into domestic cost-of-living pressures. Fuel levies and administered prices further magnify the impact on consumers.

The result has been:

• Erosion of real household income
• Pressure on consumption — this has hovered around 60% of GDP
• Constrained growth and limited monetary policy flexibility

Strait of Hormuz

The current conflict represents the largest global energy shock since the late 1970s. Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of global oil trade flows, has pushed oil prices above US$100 per barrel, with sharp increases in freight and insurance costs.

Implications for South Africa:

• Immediate fuel price spikes, particularly diesel
• Strong second-round inflation via food, transport, and logistics
• Downgraded growth forecasts
• Fiscal intervention via temporary fuel levy relief
• Renewed pressure on interest rates and the inflation outlook

South Africa’s limited strategic oil reserves render us vulnerable to prolonged disruption.

At the time of writing, a two-week ceasefire in the Iran conflict has been declared, and oil will hopefully be shipped through the Strait of Hormuz. Let’s hope that stability will prevail and that South Africa enhances its long-term resilience through improved energy security and reduced oil intensity.

South Africa’s healthcare sector continues to evolve within a complex mix of policy reform, regulatory scrutiny, and shifting expectations around access, equity, and sustainability. Recent developments across the National Health Insurance (NHI), regulatory governance, and medical scheme innovation highlight both progress and areas requiring ongoing attention.

National Health Insurance: Progress Paused, Momentum Maintained

The implementation of the National Health Insurance (NHI) has been put on hold following a decision by Cyril Ramaphosa to halt the enforcement of specific sections of the Act. This decision reflects a prudent response to ongoing legal challenges currently before the Constitutional Court of South Africa, with hearings scheduled for May 2026.

The matters under review include the President’s appeal against a prior High Court ruling requiring the release of decision-making records to the Board of Healthcare Funders and a separate challenge led by the Western Cape provincial government alongside the same body. Central to these cases are concerns regarding the integrity of the public participation process that informed Parliament’s adoption of the NHI Bill.

While the legal process unfolds, the broader trajectory of NHI implementation appears at first glance to be on track. The government has indicated that preparatory work continues, particularly in the development of digital health infrastructure. This includes the rollout of patient registration systems across more than 3,500 public healthcare facilities over the next 15 months, alongside the establishment of administrative processes for beneficiary registration.

Regulatory Governance: Reframing Fairness in Practice

The release of the Section 59 Investigation findings, together with subsequent directives issued by the Council for Medical Schemes, represents a significant moment for regulatory governance in the healthcare sector.

What began as a focused review of fraud, waste, and abuse (FWA) systems has evolved into a broader examination of how fairness is operationalised. A central insight emerging from this process is that systems designed to be neutral do not always produce equitable outcomes.

The regulatory response signals a shift toward embedding fairness more explicitly into operational frameworks. Key themes include: improved transparency, adherence to defined timelines, proportional approaches to financial recoveries, and strengthened communication between stakeholders. Notably, there is also an increased emphasis on early engagement and on facilitated dispute-resolution mechanisms that may help rebalance historically unequal relationships between medical schemes and healthcare providers.

This evolution reflects a broader global trend of moving beyond compliance-driven models to incorporating governance mechanisms that actively consider outcomes and equity.

Preventative Care: Medical Schemes Incentivising Healthier Outcomes

Medical schemes are increasingly focusing on preventative care as a lever for both improved health outcomes and cost sustainability. The recognition that early detection and proactive management of health conditions can reduce the need for complex interventions and hospitalisation has led to some schemes introducing incentive-based preventative care benefits.

These incentives often take the form of enhanced day-to-day benefits, including additional funding for out-of-hospital expenses. While still evolving, such models point to a more engaged and participatory approach to healthcare, one in which members are supported in taking a more active role in managing their health.

Tax Relief: Medical Scheme Tax Credits

As announced by the Finance Minister, Enoch Godongwana, in the 2026 Budget Speech, Medical scheme tax credits have been increased from R364 to R376 per month for the first two beneficiaries, and from R246 to R254 for each additional dependant. This is the first adjustment in three years. While the increase is modest, it provides relief to taxpayers facing sustained medical inflation.

Looking Ahead

These developments illustrate a healthcare system in transition. The path forward will require continued alignment between policy intent and operational reality, as well as sustained collaboration across stakeholders. In this environment, adaptability and a clear focus on equitable outcomes will remain central to shaping a healthcare system that meets the needs of all South Africans.

On Wednesday, 25 February, the Finance Minister, Enoch Godongwana, delivered the 2026 Budget Speech, which contained positive news and some tax relief for taxpayers. The Minister acknowledged that the national savings and investment rate is far below the levels needed to create generational wealth and encouraged South Africans to save more, with the following adjustments taking effect from 1 March 2026.

Contributions to Approved Retirement Funds (Employer Funds and RAs)

The Taxation Laws Amendment Act (TLAA) of 2015, effective 1 March 2016, allows individuals to deduct up to 27.5% of taxable income (or remuneration, whichever is higher) for contributions to a pension, provident, or retirement annuity fund, subject to a maximum annual cap of R350,000.

This annual maximum tax-deductible limit for retirement fund contributions has been raised from R350 000 to R430 000.

This will allow individuals to invest more in retirement savings products on a tax-free basis.

Tax Free Savings Account

The Minister has increased the annual contribution limit for tax-free investments in South Africa for the first time since 2021. The annual contribution limit for tax-free investment products will increase from R36 000 to R46 000. There was no mention, at this stage, of the lifetime limit increasing beyond R500 000.

Single Discretionary Allowance

In other positive news for local investors looking to diversify offshore, the single discretionary allowance for individuals has been increased from R1 million per calendar year to R2 million per calendar year.

Capital Gains Tax

The annual exclusion for a capital gain or loss granted to individuals and special trusts will be increased from R40 000 to R50 000, and the exclusion granted to individuals in the year of death increases from R300 000 to R440 000. The primary residence exclusion will increase from R2 million to R3 million.

Donations Tax

The annual donations tax exemption will increase from R100 000 to R150 000 annually.

Individual Taxpayers (Personal Income Tax Brackets)

It is the first time in three years that individual taxpayers have been provided with relief from bracket creep, which is the effect of inflation on their salaries, which pushes them into a higher tax bracket.

Threshold on Annuitisation

The de minimus commutation limit has increased from R247 500 to R360 000. This limit is applied per retirement fund and not across all funds. The value is aggregated across retirement annuities. When a member retires, and the total retirement fund interest is below R360 000, they will not be required to purchase an annuity and can commute 100% of the lump sum below R360 000.

Living Annuity Annuitisation

The de minimus prescribed limit will increase from R125 000 to R150 000. This means that when the capital value remaining in a living annuity drops below R150 000 (de minimus), the value can be commuted and paid as a lump sum. The limit is normally applied on a per-insurer or per-fund basis, depending on whether the living annuity is provided by the fund or purchased from an insurer.

Medical Aid Tax Credits

Medical scheme tax credits have been increased from R364 to R376 per month for the first two beneficiaries, and from R246 to R254 for each additional dependant. This is the first adjustment in three years.

While the increase is modest, it provides relief to taxpayers facing sustained medical inflation. With the National Health Insurance Act subject to legal challenges and a prolonged implementation timeline, the preservation and enhancement of the tax credit underscores that the current dual healthcare framework is likely to remain in place for the foreseeable future.

With the start of a new tax year, retirement contribution planning deserves renewed attention. While tax is often viewed negatively, the retirement fund framework offers structured opportunities to reduce current tax liability while strengthening future financial security.

Contributions to Approved Retirement Funds (Employer Funds and RAs)

The Taxation Laws Amendment Act (TLAA) of 2015, effective 1 March 2016, allows individuals to deduct up to 27.5% of taxable income (or remuneration, whichever is higher) for contributions to a pension, provident, or retirement annuity fund, subject to a maximum annual cap of R350,000.

Where financially feasible, members should consider maximising this allowance. Doing so reduces taxable income in the current year while accelerating retirement savings in a tax-efficient environment.

Treatment of Excess Contributions at Retirement

Importantly, contributions exceeding either the 27.5% threshold or the R350,000 annual cap are not forfeited. These “excess” or “disallowed” contributions are carried forward indefinitely until retirement.

At retirement, accumulated excess contributions are applied by SARS in two primary ways:

1. Increasing the Tax-Free Lump Sum
   The first R550,000 of a retirement lump sum is tax-free (lifetime limit). Excess contributions are applied first to reduce the taxable portion of the lump sum, potentially increasing the effective tax-free amount withdrawn.
2. Reducing Tax on Annuity Income
   Any excess remaining after the lump sum withdrawal is used to offset tax on monthly annuity income. Pension payments are effectively received tax-free until the value of the excess contributions has been fully utilised.

This structure ensures that excess contributions ultimately provide tax relief, even if the deduction is not available immediately.

Contributing a Bonus to Your Retirement Fund

Where a bonus is received, contributing it to a retirement fund may increase the deductible limit.
The deduction remains 27.5% of the greater of taxable income or remuneration. As a bonus forms part of taxable income, it increases the rand value of the 27.5% cap for that tax year.

Example:
If your salary is R720,000, your deduction limit is R198,000.
If you receive a R100,000 bonus, your total income becomes R820,000, and your new deduction limit is R225,500.

This may create additional scope for deductible contributions within the same tax year.

If Contributions Exceed the Annual Limit

If total contributions, including those funded by a bonus, exceed either the 27.5% threshold or the R350,000 annual cap:

• No tax penalty applies.
• Tax on the bonus is calculated as normal.
• A deduction is allowed only for the portion within the prescribed limit.
• The non-deductible amount is automatically carried forward by SARS to the following tax year and treated as a new contribution in that year.

Long-Term Advantages

Even where the full deduction is not immediately available, contributions remain within a tax-sheltered structure:

• No tax is levied on interest, dividends, or capital gains within the retirement fund.
• Unused excess contributions may reduce tax payable on retirement lump sums or annuity income.

Retirement Funds vs Tax-Free Savings Accounts (TFSA)

It is important to distinguish retirement funds from TFSAs when considering excess contributions:

Feature	Retirement Funds (RA/Pension/Provident)	Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA)
Annual Limit (2026)	27.5% of income (capped at R350,000)	R36,000
Penalty for Excess	None	40% tax penalty on the excess
Treatment of Excess	Carried forward to future years or retirement	Taxed immediately by SARS

With some distance from the year just passed, we begin to refine not only what we want to achieve, but how we want to show up along the way. Beyond goals and plans, there is a quieter consideration: how do people experience us?

During the holiday period, stepping away from the usual pace highlighted something simple but enduring. In a world increasingly designed around speed, efficiency, and scale, it is still thoughtful, attentive human interaction that leaves the strongest impression. Will Guidara explores this in Unreasonable Hospitality, reframing service not as an industry-specific function, but as a mindset of effort, attention, and care.

The book is not about restaurants. It is about intentionality. Meaningful experiences are rarely accidental; they are shaped by deliberate choices, consistency, and presence. Interactions are defined less by what is delivered and more by how people experience them.

This perspective stands in contrast to modern systems, where speed is rewarded, efficiency is prioritised, and output is measured relentlessly. Even when we notice the trade-offs, diluted versions of quality and presence are often accepted because moving faster feels necessary. Over time, those compromises become the norm.

Unreasonable Hospitality challenges this default. It frames excellence as doing things with care, attending to details, taking ownership, and closing the loop. Thoughtfulness in everyday interactions transforms routine exchanges into considered experiences.

These lessons are not confined to any role or industry. How we respond, whether commitments are honoured, and the presence we bring to ordinary moments shape expectations and influence engagement over time. Small, deliberate actions still carry weight as they signal reliability, attention, and respect.

How Will You Apply Unreasonable Hospitality?

As the year begins, this offers a practical lens. Progress does not require abandoning the basics, and ambition does not have to come at the expense of attentiveness. January can be less about reinvention and more about recommitment to being deliberate about where effort is applied, how attention is directed, and how consistently promises are kept. These choices accumulate quietly yet meaningfully shape outcomes just as much as strategy does.

We wish you a thoughtful start to the year and look forward to engaging with you.

January Reading Recommendation

Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara
A thoughtful exploration of service as a discipline, reminding us that meaningful experiences are rarely accidental and that care, applied consistently, still matters.