POPCRU Demands Clarity Over Shocking Drop In Members’ Pension Balances

The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) has voiced deep concern after members reported unexplained decreases in their Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) balances between July and September.

According to POPCRU, numerous members noticed that their pension statements reflected reduced amounts without any prior notification or explanation. The union says this has sparked serious anxiety and frustration among affected workers.

GEPF Blames Actuarial Projections for the Decline

The GEPF has attributed the reductions to actuarial projections—financial calculations used to estimate future obligations and risks. However, POPCRU insists that such projections should not have any direct impact on current pension balances.

Union spokesperson Richard Mamabolo said the adjustments raised red flags about transparency and governance in the fund’s management.

“Actuarial tools are meant for future planning, not for retrospective deductions of members’ funds and I think we’ve got a lot of questions that we need to ask as to who made these changes, how these actuarial reviews were done and why labour representatives were not consulted,” Mamabolo stated.

Union Accuses GEPF of Breach of Trust

POPCRU has demanded full disclosure from both the GEPF Board and the Government Pensions Administration Agency (GPAA), questioning who authorised the pension adjustments and under what circumstances.

Mamabolo added that the situation represents a clear violation of assurances previously made to members.

“One of the things that’s also concerning is the fact that the GEPF had made previous assurances to workers that their pensions would not be negatively affected by internal adjustments and of course, this is clearly a breach of trust,” he said.

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The union has called for urgent engagement with all relevant authorities to ensure accountability and restore confidence among its members.

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