10. Employee benefits
10.2 The Telkom Pension Fund
 

The Telkom Pension Fund is a defined benefit fund that was created in terms of the Post Office Amendment Act, 85 of 1991.

The latest actuarial valuation performed at 31 March 2023 indicates that the pension fund is in a surplus position of R30 million (31 March 2022: R145 million). The recognition of the surplus is limited due to the application of the asset limitation criteria in IAS 19 (Employee Benefits). The Telkom Pension Fund is closed to new members. The pension plan exposes the Group to actuarial risks, such as longevity, currency, interest rate and market risks.

The funded status of the Telkom Pension Fund is disclosed below.

   Group Company
The Telkom Pension Fund  31 March 
2023 
Rm 
31 March 
2022 
Rm 
31 March 
2023 
Rm 
31 March 
2022 
Rm 
The net periodic pension costs include the following components:             
Interest cost on projected benefit obligations  6  5  6  5 
Service cost on projected benefit obligations  1  1  1  1 
Interest on plan assets after asset restriction  (14) (7) (14) (7)
Net periodic pension expense recognised in profit or loss  (7) (1) (7) (1)
The net periodic other comprehensive income includes the following components:             
Actuarial gain from financial assumption changes  2  –  2  – 
Actuarial loss/(gain) due to demographic assumption changes  116  (2) 116  (2)
Asset ceiling in terms of IAS 19.64  (10) 3  (10) 3 
Net periodic pension income recognised in other comprehensive income  108  1  108  1 
Cumulative actuarial gain  35  (73) 35  (73)
The status of the pension plan obligation is as follows:             
At the beginning of the year  47  48  47  48 
Interest cost  6  5  6  5 
Current service cost  1  1  1  1 
Benefits paid  –  (5) –  (5)
Actuarial gain  (3) (2) (3) (2)
Benefit obligation at the end of the year  51  47  51  47 
   Group Company
   31 March 
2023 
Rm 
31 March 
2022 
Rm 
31 March 
2023 
Rm 
31 March 
2022 
Rm 
Plan assets at fair value:             
At the beginning of the year  193  168  193  168 
Interest on plan assets  22  19  22  19 
Benefits paid  –  (4) –  (4)
Transfer of Employer Surplus Account (ESA) to TRF  (115) –  (115) – 
Actuarial (loss)/gain  (19) 10  (19) 10 
Plan assets at the end of the year  81  193  81  193 
Present value of funded obligation  51  47  51  47 
Fair value of plan assets  (81) (193) (81) (193)
Fund surplus  (30) (146) (30) (146)
Asset ceiling in terms of IAS 19.64  13  129  13  129 
Recognised net asset  (17) (17) (17) (17)
Interest on plan assets after asset restriction  8  12  8  12 
Actuarial (loss)/gain on plan assets  (19) 10  (19) 10 
Actual return on plan assets  (11) 22  (11) 22 
Plan assets balance comprises:             
Cash and cash equivalents  3  5  3  5 
Equity securities  35  91  35  91 
Property  2  6  2  6 
Bonds  15  35  15  35 
Commodities  1  1  1  1 
Foreign investments  25  55  25  55 
Total  81  193  81  193 

Funding arrangements

The Telkom Pension Fund invests its funds in South Africa and internationally. Two fund managers invest in South Africa and globally through their balanced funds. The Telkom Pension Fund is a closed defined benefit fund which no new employees can join.

There is no material investment in Telkom shares included in the Telkom Pension Fund asset.

  Group Company
  31 March
2023
31 March
2022
31 March
2023
31 March
2022
Funding level per statutory actuarial valuation (%) 100 100 100 100
The number of employees registered under the Telkom Pension Fund 18 18 18 18
The fund portfolio consists of the following percentages:        
Cash (%) 3 2 3 2
Equities (%) 44 47 44 47
Property (%) 3 3 3 3
Bonds (%) 18 18 18 18
Commodities (%) 1 1 1 1
Foreign Investments (%) 31 29 31 29
Total 100 100 100 100

The total estimated contributions to be paid to the pension fund by the employer for the year ending 31 March 2024 is R0.4 million.