MoneyMarketing SA

14/10/2026

The October issue of MoneyMarketing is out now.
Some of the key themes we're exploring this month include:

– Discretionary fund managers are playing an increasingly important role in the advice landscape, helping advisers navigate portfolio construction, manager selection and ongoing investment management. We look at how the DFM model is developing and where the greatest value lies for clients.

– With inflation remaining an important consideration for long-term investors, inflation-linked bonds can provide valuable protection against unexpected increases in the cost of living. We explore how these instruments work, the role of real yields and breakeven inflation, and what advisers need to understand.

– Unit trusts are still one of the most accessible ways for South African investors to achieve diversified exposure across asset classes and markets. But with an ever-expanding range of funds available, selecting the right solution requires more than simply looking at past performance. Here's what the experts say advisers should consider.

– Technology is changing the way financial advice practices operate, from artificial intelligence and automation to cybersecurity and increasingly sophisticated digital tools. But how can advisers best harness these technologies to improve efficiency and client engagement?

Some of the companies we're talking to this month include:
Fedgroup Life
MiltonOptimal
PortfolioMetrix
PPS For ProfessionalsAlexforbes
1nvest
Linktank
Momentum

Read the full October issue on the MoneyMarketing website: https://brnw.ch/21x6o9Q

09/10/2026

Did you know that 70% to 80% of South Africans die without a valid will? And even those who do have one often overlook a growing part of their estate: their digital assets.

Social media profiles, cloud storage, family photographs, loyalty programmes, cryptocurrency and digital wallets all form part of the legacy we leave behind. Yet few people give any thought to what happens to these accounts after death.

This Wills Month, Jainal Narsa, Fiduciary Specialist at Alexforbes explains why estate planning must account for digital assets — and shares practical steps to ensure your executor can identify and access them when the time comes.

The key takeaway: maintain a record of your digital footprint, store access details securely, and never include passwords in your will itself.

Read the full article on MoneyMarketing: https://brnw.ch/21x6ihn

Estate planning must include digital assets like social media, cloud storage, and cryptocurrencies. Learn how manage them effectively

07/10/2026

The beautiful venue for the FPi's Gala Event. Looking forward to finding out who the next Financial Planner of the Year will be.

07/10/2026

What happens when an investment platform becomes more than a back-end system? It becomes an ecosystem. Standard Bank Group is positioning its local and offshore platform capabilities around a more integrated financial experience, connecting banking, investments, wealth management and specialist services. For advisers, this can create access to a broader range of investment solutions, strategies and discretionary services through a more connected infrastructure.

The opportunity is particularly relevant for clients with complex financial lives – including high-net-worth clients with offshore assets, international family connections and cross-border estate, tax and investment considerations. A platform shouldn't simply make investments easier to administer. It should help advisers see the whole client picture.

Read more here: https://brnw.ch/21x6ewn

07/10/2026

MoneyMarketing is at the FPi Conference in Cape Town. Great way to celebrate World Financial Planning Day. The crowd really got into the spirit. The theme this year is Build to Lead.

02/10/2026

Technology should enable advice – not replace it

Artificial intelligence, automation and direct-to-client investing are changing the investment landscape. But does more technology mean less need for financial advisers? Not necessarily.

Duncan Wattam, Head of Standard Bank Group Investments, believes technology should be an enabler rather than a replacement for human expertise. “People still trust people, and consistent advice remains essential,” he says. The opportunity is to use technology to take care of more of the administrative and transactional work, allowing advisers to focus on the things that technology cannot easily replicate: understanding clients, navigating complexity and providing trusted guidance. The future of advice may therefore not be human versus technology. It could be human expertise amplified by technology.

Read more here: https://brnw.ch/21x67J5

01/10/2026

When can a retirement fund complaint still proceed years after the problem first occurred?

According to Jaya Leibowitz, Manager of the Retail Legal team at Allan Gray Proprietary Limited's recent Financial Services Tribunal decisions confirm that the three-year window to lodge a complaint with the Pension Funds Adjudicator only starts when the member actually becomes aware of the issue – not when it first arose.

The outcomes hinge on the facts:

In Mpengesi v PFA, a member who discovered missing contributions from nearly 20 years ago during retirement planning was allowed to proceed — she had no way of knowing sooner.
In Rapasa v PFA, a complaint lodged six years after employment ended was declined – too much time had lapsed.
In Sehlabaka v PFA, a member who received detailed benefit statements with each payment years earlier was found to have reasonably known the facts, and the complaint was declined.
The lesson for employers and advisers? Register employees timeously, pay contributions correctly, keep thorough records, send benefit statements promptly, and resolve queries as soon as they arise. Prescription is highly fact specific – and good recordkeeping is your best defence.

Read the full feature on MoneyMarketing: https://brnw.ch/21x65Ji

Recent Financial Services Tribunal decisions key lessons include the importance of timing, recordkeeping, and communication.

01/10/2026

I'm at the International Investing Symposium, another great Collaborative Exchange event. Nishen Govender from CAM Asset Management gave a brilliant talk on the macro and political lens on offshore capital. offshore investing

30/09/2026

Clients don't experience their finances in separate compartments. A home loan, retirement savings, children's education, investments, insurance and estate planning can all form part of the same financial picture. So why should the technology supporting financial advice be fragmented?
Standard Bank's investment strategy is focused on bringing banking, investment, wealth and platform capabilities closer together – helping advisers gain a more complete view of their clients' financial positions. As Duncan Wattam, Head of Standard Bank Group Investments, puts it: “People's financial lives don't fit neatly into boxes.”

For advisers, better integration could mean less time navigating disconnected systems and more time understanding the bigger picture. Because ultimately, technology should make holistic advice easier – not more complicated.

Read more here: https://brnw.ch/21x63Hl

29/09/2026

"If you don't understand it, trust me, your client will not understand it."
That is FAIS Ombud John Simpson's blunt advice to financial advisers. His message is simple but critical: understand what you recommend, explain it properly, keep comprehensive records, and never assume a client has read the fine print.

The Ombud's office received just under 15 000 complaints last year, with only around 3 000 falling within its jurisdiction - a big improvement from the 6 000 to 7 000 when Simpson took office in 2022. Resolution times are down to under 60 working days, and roughly R35.5m was awarded to consumers.

But prevention is better than cure. Simpson warns against treating the adviser role as a post box – simply forwarding an insurer's email is not enough. If you cannot explain a product, do not sell it. And if a conversation matters, document it, because "Where are your records?" is one of the first questions the Ombud asks.

His goal is to empower both the industry and consumers. When it comes to financial advice, "good enough" is not good enough.

Read the full feature on MoneyMarketing: https://brnw.ch/21x62NG

FAIS Ombud John Simpson shares advice for financial advisers: understand products, explain clearly, keep records, and empower clients.