Life partner prevails in R8.3m pension dispute

The deceased’s sister and her two children challenged the fund’s decision to recognise a woman identified only as ‘M’ as his permanent life partner and allocate 45% of the benefit to the life partner and the sister.

The complainants argued that the deceased had nominated his sister to receive 100% of the benefit in 2005 and that ‘M’ did not qualify as a permanent life partner.

Addressing the complainants’ contention that ‘M’ could not be recognised as the deceased’s permanent life partner because they maintained separate residences, Mogashoa said the argument was “misplaced”.