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About the Election

NJMPF has established an Elections Committee which will facilitate the planning, coordinating, investigating, administering and reporting of the entire process of the elections in a manner that achieves the prescripts of the regulations and the requirements of the voting procedures of NJMPF and the three Funds within it. The process for the nomination and election of Board Members is determined by the Regulations.

Downloadable copies are available below.

Background and Context

The KwaZulu Natal Joint Municipal Pension/Provident Fund (NJMPF) operates as a defined benefit and defined contribution fund, catering to both active members and pensioners. NJMPF is regulated by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) and adheres to the Pension Funds Act. The fund is governed by a Board of Trustees, ensuring sound management and oversight. Over the years, NJMPF has earned recognition for good governance and outstanding financial performance.

 

The NJMPF Board of Trustees is appointed and elected as per the Regulations of the Funds. Trustees represent both active members and pensioners. The Regulations detail the nomination, election and appointment process. Trustees serve a fixed term and may be reappointed or re-elected. These processes ensure fair and effective governance.

Candidate Eligibility Criteria

Board Members carry an important responsibility of ensuring that the affairs of the Fund are managed in the best interest of Fund members. For this reason, Trustees must be people of integrity who are appropriately skilled and have the experience necessary to do their duties diligently.

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According to the Regulations of all the funds in NJMPF, every nominee must:

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  1. be a South African resident;

  2. be in a financially sound position;

  3. indicate his or her willingness to act as a representative by accepting the nomination on the nomination form;

  4. indicate that he or she is prepared to travel and able to attend meetings of the Board of Trustees and sub-committees;

  5. indicate that he or she is prepared and able to attend training;

  6. be accessible by telephone, fax and e-mail;

  7. authorise the Fund to investigate his or her eligibility; and

  8. attach his or her curriculum vitae to the nomination form;

  9. not be an unrehabilitated insolvent;

  10. not within the previous 10 years, have been convicted in the Republic of South Africa or elsewhere of theft, fraud, forgery or uttering a forged document, perjury, an offence under the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, 2004 (Act No. 12 of 2004), an offence under the Financial Intelligence Centre Act, 2001 (Act No. 38 of 2001), or any offence involving dishonesty.

Regulatory

Provisions

The regulations of the NJMPF provide for the appointment and election of Active Member and Pensioner Representatives and alternates to Board of Trustees for the various Funds as follows:

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  1. Active Members and Pensioners shall be asked respectively, to nominate Active Members and Pensioners for election to the Board of Trustees as Active Member or Pensioner Trustees.

  2. Each nominee must accept his/her nomination in writing.

  3. The nominated candidates and their curriculum vitae shall be shared with all Active Members and Pensioners of NJMPF together with ballot papers containing the names of all candidates to enable a ballot.

  4. Active Members and Pensioners will then elect the Active Member and Pensioner Trustees from among the candidates who have accepted the nomination.

  5. Voting shall take place by ballot. 

  6. Each Active Member and Pensioner may vote for not more than the stipulated number of persons who have been duly nominated. For the Provident Fund, six member representatives must be elected to the Board of Trustees, whilst the Retirement Fund requires four member representatives and two pensioner representatives and the Superannuation Fund four member representatives and two pensioner representatives to be elected to the Board of Trustees.

  7. An Active Member or Pensioner may not vote for more than the prescribed number of Active Members or Pensioners for their category as per item 6 above as that will render their ballot as spoilt.

  8. The Active Member and Pensioner Representatives who receive the highest number of votes are deemed to be duly elected as the Active Member and Pensioner Representatives and shall be declared as such;

  9. The Active Member and Pensioner representatives who receive the second highest number of votes are deemed to be the alternates;

  10. In the event of an equality of votes, the result shall be determined by lot.​​​​​

How will candidates be shortlisted?

All candidates will be subjected to fitness and propriety background checks. The checks will be conducted by the Independent Electoral Officer. When accepting their nomination, candidates will be required to complete and sign a Background Check Consent and Indemnity Form (Consent Form). Failure to complete the Consent Form will result in the disqualification of the candidate's nomination.

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The list of shortlisted candidates will be made available to all Active Members and Pensioners on the election website (www.njmpfvote.co.za) or on request from the Independent Electoral Officer after the nomination process has closed. Any Active Member or Pensioner, including candidates, will have the opportunity to lodge objections against the list of shortlisted candidates.

Ground for Objections will be limited to:

  1. ​Candidate nominations that have not been submitted through the prescribed nomination rules and procedures; or

  2. Candidates who do not meet the Candidate Eligibility Criteria set out in the Electoral Policy.

 

To be considered, objections must be in writing, accompanied by verifiable evidence, and lodged with the Independent Electoral Officer within the specified time frame to be published with the Shortlisted Candidate List.

 

Upon completion of the background checks and consideration of the objections, candidates will, (before the Independent Electoral Officer makes the final decision regarding the status of their candidature) be allowed an opportunity to clarify or rectify any adverse findings against their names. Thereafter, the Independent Electoral Officer will publish the Final Candidate List which will signify the completion of the Candidate Nomination Phase.

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