Governance
GOVERNANCE
NEBUF is governed by Independent and Employer Sponsored Trustees who act in the best interests of members and beneficiaries.
Chairperson
Zanele Shongwe
A seasoned Employee Benefits professional with over 25 years of expertise in retirement fund administration and governance. She currently serves as the Principal Officer for several Life Healthcare funds and an Independent Trustee for the Union Mine Employees Trust Fund. Her academic credentials include a BCom Honours and executive leadership certifications from Wits, GIBS, and Batseta. Zanele is a highly skilled board member with extensive experience chairing Legal, Risk, Compliance, and Death Benefit sub-committees. She is a recognized Professional Principal Executive Officer (PPEO) with a strong focus on ethics and strategic leadership.
Professor Mtende Mhango
A distinguished legal scholar and practitioner specialising in South African pension law. He currently serves as the Metropolitan Research Chair in Pension Law Studies and holds a Doctor of Laws (LLD) and a Juris Doctor (JD). His extensive leadership includes roles as Dean of Law at the National University of Lesotho and Deputy Dean at Wits University. Professionally, he has served as a Legal Advisor for the Pension Funds Adjudicator and a consultant for Thipa Attorneys. An active member of the Pension Lawyers Association, he is a leading authority on the Pension Funds Act and fiduciary governance. His career combines high-level academic research with hands-on advisory work to protect the integrity of the retirement industry. He is also recognised internationally as a licensed advocate in the USA and an accredited trainer in Botswana.
Hannelie Botha – Governance and compliance specialist
A seasoned governance and compliance professional with over 35 years of cross-sector experience, spanning government services, non-profit organisations, and private enterprise. She is a registered member of the Compliance Institute of Southern Africa (CISA), the Institute of Risk Management South Africa, and the Institute of Internal Auditors South Africa.
Renier Botha – Senior executive at Affinity Life Ltd
A seasoned and results-driven executive with over 9 years of cross-sector experience, spanning engineering, financial services, operations, and business leadership. He joined Affinity Life Ltd in 2017 as General Manager and is recognised for his strategic mindset, strong leadership capability, and commitment to operational excellence across new business development, turnaround strategies, and long-term planning.
William Nkutha – Chartered Principal Executive Officer
William is a veteran of the employee benefits industry with over 15 years of high-level experience. Known for his strategic oversight and commitment to member-centric outcomes, he ensures that NEBUF operates at the highest standard of excellence.
Deep Industry Expertise: His career journey from fund administrator to senior consultant for leading South African firms provides him with a 360-degree view of retirement fund management.
Academic Excellence: William holds postgraduate qualifications in Retirement Funds Management and Development Finance, combining technical knowledge with practical leadership.
A Champion for Transformation: Beyond his role at NEBUF, William is a recognized voice in the industry, having served on multiple transformation and employment equity committees.
COMMITTEES
Oversees the effective administration of living annuities and exit benefits, including matters relating to withdrawals, – retirees, deferred pensioners and phased retirees.
Supervises financial reporting, actuarial valuations and the Fund’s budget, and considers matters arising from -.financial and budgetary reviews.
Implements NEBUF’s communication strategy and manages the annual communication cycle in line with the
Board-approved policy.
Manages the Fund’s investment activities to achieve sustainable, risk-adjusted returns, including the appointment
and oversight of asset managers and consultants in accordance with the Investment Policy Statement.
Oversees legal, risk and compliance matters, ensuring the Fund meets all regulatory and governance requirements.
Responsible for the fair and lawful allocation of death benefits in terms of Section 37C of the Pension Funds Act 24 of 1956.