Banking

GEPF Payment Process 2026: Timeline, Z102 & Tax Directives

Resigning, retiring or claiming a benefit from the Government Employees Pension Fund? Here's the full 2026 process — what HR must submit, how SARS gets involved, why delays happen and how to chase your money.

Updated 12 May 2026 • By Sipho Dlamini • Fact-checked

The 60-day rule (and why it gets missed)

GEPF Rule 14 requires payment within 60 days of receiving complete documentation. The clock only starts when every required form is in. Missing pages, an unsigned Z102 or unresolved SARS issues stop the clock entirely — and most "GEPF is so slow" complaints are actually about the documents that never got submitted in the first place.

The full payment flow

1
You leave your post

Resignation, dismissal, retirement, transfer to a non-government employer, or death. Your last working day triggers the process.
2
HR submits the Z102 form

Your Human Resources department completes and submits the "Withdrawal from Fund Application" (Z102) to GEPF, along with supporting documents (certified ID copy, banking details, marriage/divorce orders if relevant).
3
GEPF verifies enrolment and calculates the benefit

GEPF checks your service period, pensionable salary, and which benefit formula applies (resignation, retirement, withdrawal). They calculate the gross payout.
4
GEPF requests a SARS tax directive

The Fund sends your details to SARS to determine the tax deduction. SARS usually issues the directive in 2 working days — if your tax affairs are in order.
5
SARS issues the tax directive

SARS returns the directive specifying the net payment. The retirement-fund lump-sum tables apply — see the tax-free portion table below.
6
GEPF verifies banking details

The Fund confirms the account number provided in the Z102 against bank records. Mismatched names or closed accounts add days.
7
Payment is released

The net lump sum is transferred to your nominated bank account. SMS confirmation goes to your registered cellphone.

Retirement-fund lump-sum tax (2026/27)

When you retire, withdraw or transfer, SARS taxes the lump sum on a progressive scale. The retirement tax table is much more generous than the withdrawal table — retire if you can.

Lump sum	Retirement / death	Withdrawal (resignation)
R0 – R27,500	0%	0% (cumulative)
R27,501 – R550,000	0% on first R550k	18% of amount above R27,500
R550,001 – R770,000	18% on excess over R550k	R94,050 + 27% over R726k
R770,001 – R1,155,000	R39,600 + 27% on excess over R770k	R130,500 + 36% over R1,089k
Above R1,155,000	R143,550 + 36% on excess over R1.155m	36% on the top slice

All retirement lump sums you ever take are aggregated for tax purposes — earlier withdrawals reduce the tax-free portion available at retirement. Source: SARS Retirement Lump Sum Tax Table, 2026/27.

Why payouts get delayed

HR hasn't submitted the Z102. The Fund can't do anything until your former employer's HR submits the form. Chase HR personally — don't assume it's been sent.
SARS declines the tax directive. Almost always means your personal tax affairs are not up to date (outstanding return, unpaid tax). You must resolve it with SARS personally and provide GEPF with proof on a SARS letterhead.
Banking-detail mismatch. The account name on your Z102 must match your ID name exactly. Joint accounts and recently renamed accounts cause hold-ups.
Divorce order in the mix. If there's a divorce order awarding a portion of your pension to a spouse, both parties' tax directives need to clear before payment.
Death benefit dispute. Beneficiaries must be located and verified under Section 37C of the Pension Funds Act. Takes 6–12 months minimum.

Two-pot withdrawals (since Sept 2024)

The two-pot retirement system splits new contributions from 1 September 2024 into two pots: a savings pot (one-third of contributions, accessible while working) and a retirement pot (two-thirds, preserved until age 55).

Savings pot

Withdraw once per tax year. Minimum R2,000. Taxed at your marginal income tax rate (no rebate). GEPF members request via the Self-Service app or portal.

Retirement pot

Locked in until age 55. Must be used to buy an annuity at retirement (you can take up to one-third as a cash lump sum, taxed on the retirement table above).

Vested pot

Pre-Sept-2024 contributions stay under the old rules — accessible on resignation, on the old tax tables.

GEPF members must be registered on the Self-Service app to lodge a two-pot savings-pot withdrawal — see our GEPF Self-Service app guide.

How to track and chase your payout

Check the Self-Service app. Track the status of your resignation or retirement benefit claim in real time.
Confirm Z102 submission with your HR. Get the date HR submitted, and ask for proof of receipt from GEPF.
Check your SARS eFiling status. Make sure all returns are filed and balances are zero.
Call the GEPF Call Centre: 0800 117 669 (toll-free).
Email a query: [email protected] with your Z-number, ID number and the date of resignation/retirement.
Walk in to a GEPF / GPAA office if 90 days have passed with no movement — most provinces have a regional office.

Frequently asked questions

How long does GEPF take to pay out?+

The GEPF Rules require payment within 60 days of all complete documentation being received. In practice, retirement claims pay out in 30–45 days, resignation claims in 45–60 days, and death/disability claims often longer. The clock starts only when the Fund has every required document — missing forms reset the timeline.

What is the Z102 form?+

The Z102 is the "Withdrawal from Fund Application" — the form your former Human Resources department submits to GEPF when you resign, are dismissed, retire, transfer or pass away. Without a fully completed Z102 from your HR, GEPF cannot start processing your payout.

Why is my GEPF payout delayed?+

Most delays trace to one of three causes: (1) HR has not submitted or has incorrectly completed the Z102, (2) your SARS tax affairs aren't in order so SARS cannot issue a tax directive, or (3) banking-detail verification fails. Track your claim on the GEPF Self-Service app — the status will show which step is stalled.

What happens with the SARS tax directive?+

GEPF must obtain a tax directive from SARS before paying you out. SARS calculates how much tax to deduct from the lump sum (per the retirement-fund lump-sum tax tables) and authorises the net payment. SARS usually issues the directive within 2 working days — but only if your tax affairs are up to date. Outstanding returns or unpaid tax will cause SARS to decline the directive.

Can I get a paid-up certificate while waiting?+

Yes. If you have resigned and want to leave your benefit in the Fund (rather than withdraw it), GEPF issues a "deferred member" status. This allows your benefit to keep growing and lets you transfer to another retirement fund or take the payout later.

What is two-pot withdrawal?+

Under the two-pot retirement system (effective 1 September 2024), one-third of new contributions go into a "savings pot" you can withdraw from once a year while still employed. GEPF members can request a savings-pot withdrawal via the Self-Service app. The two-thirds "retirement pot" stays preserved until retirement.

Sources

· GEPF Rules and the Government Employees Pension Law, 1996 — Rule 14 (60-day payment rule).
· GEPF Members' Guide (latest edition).
· SARS Retirement Lump Sum Tax Tables, 2026/27.
· Government Pensions Administration Agency (GPAA) — claim-process publications.
· Pension Funds Act, Section 37C (death-benefit distribution rules).

Tool

GEPF Self-Service app login

Hub

All banking guides

Plan

Retirement calculator