The two-pot retirement withdrawals system, which allows South Africans to access a portion of their retirement savings before they retire, has been temporarily suspended.
The Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) confirmed that no new withdrawal applications will be accepted from Tuesday, 7 October 2025, until Monday, 21 October 2025.
According to the GEPF, this pause is necessary to update its internal systems following the implementation of new actuarial factors — technical calculations used to determine how much a member is entitled to withdraw.
These updates are part of the ongoing rollout of the two-pot system, which officially began earlier this year.
In a statement, the GEPF explained:
“This pause is necessary to allow the Fund to update its systems with the recently implemented actuarial factors used to calculate members’ benefits.”
The Fund added that during the suspension period, members will not be able to submit new savings withdrawal applications using self-service platforms such as the GEPF web portal.
However, all other benefit payments and services will continue as normal — meaning retirees, dependants, and beneficiaries receiving monthly pension payments will not be affected.
The GEPF also assured members that the withdrawal functionality will be reinstated on 22 October 2025, once all system updates are successfully completed.
What is the two-pot retirement system?
The two-pot retirement system was introduced by the South African government to help workers access part of their retirement savings while they are still employed, without having to resign or cash out their entire pension.
Under this system, every member’s pension contributions are split into two parts (“pots”):
- A savings pot – which allows limited access to funds once a year for emergencies or personal financial needs.
- A retirement pot – which remains locked until the member officially retires.
This setup aims to give South Africans more flexibility during financial hardships, while still protecting their long-term retirement income.
However, because of the complex calculations and system changes involved, pension administrators such as the GEPF need to regularly update their software and actuarial tables to ensure withdrawals are accurate and fair.
What this means for members
During this short suspension, GEPF members cannot make new withdrawal requests or track pending ones through the online system. Any requests already submitted before 7 October 2025 will still be processed.
Members who were planning to access part of their savings during this time will need to wait until 22 October 2025, when the system reopens.
The GEPF apologised for the inconvenience, stating:
“We sincerely apologise for any disruption this may cause and appreciate our members’ patience and understanding as we complete these important updates.”
Members seeking assistance are encouraged to visit the GEPF website, contact the call centre, or visit their nearest GEPF regional office for more information.
Once the system updates are complete, the GEPF expects the process of two-pot retirement withdrawals to resume smoothly, ensuring members’ benefits are calculated correctly and in line with the latest regulations.