Editor's Thoughts.

Sunday’s sports delivered the sort of mixed bag South Africans know well — a bit like the markets: a strong rally here, a nasty reversal there, and just enough drama to keep everyone checking the scoreboard. The Proteas gave us the good news, with David Miller’s 142 and Temba Bavuma’s 103 powering a 32-run Pink Day ODI win over Australia and sealing the series 2–0. The Springboks staged a late comeback in Perth but came up just short in a 42–38 loss to the Wallabies. Proof that even when the fundamentals look solid, timing still matters.

On the financial services front, Lize de la Harpe (Sanlam) reminds retirement funds that a death benefit calculation cannot be a “trust us, the spreadsheet says so” exercise. Clear records and transparent communication matter.

Bheki Mkhize (FNB Wealth and Investments) turns the spotlight on two-pot withdrawals: essential relief for many households, yes but not something to use as a monthly wallet. The key is understanding what today’s emergency cash could cost a retirement fund member’s future self.

Denise Gabriels of the NFO tackles a far darker risk: alleged murder-for-payout schemes. Her proposal is simple but important: informed consent should be required before life or funeral cover is taken out on someone else’s life.

And Zanele Dintwa (Aon) says AI should make people more capable, not make human judgement disappear behind a shiny chatbot. (Mmm, think co-pilot, not autopilot.)

Finally, the recording of our webinar last week on fees is now available here - a convenient replay for anyone who enjoys a good fee conversation almost as much as a last-minute comeback.

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