2020
R'000 
  2019
R'000 
32. Post-retirement obligations
Post-retirement assets
Defined benefit pension surplus (214 329)   (241 390)
Post-retirement obligations
Post-retirement medical aid obligations 79 075    74 317 
(135 254)   (167 073)

Pension and provident funds

The Group provides retirement benefits for its permanent employees through pension funds with defined benefit and defined contribution categories and defined contribution provident funds or appropriate industry funds.

The PHS Group, acquired in the current year, operates a defined benefit scheme, which is closed to new members. The assets of the scheme are measured using closing market values. The scheme liabilities are measured using the projected unit method discounted at rates of return of a high quality bond of equivalent term and currency to the liability. The summarised details of the Warner Howard Limited Pension and Life Assurance Plan are included.

There are also a number of small funds within various employers of the Group. All funds are administered independently of the Group and are subject to the relevant pension fund legislation.

The Group operates a defined benefit fund through The Bidvest South Africa Pension Fund.

Employer contributions to defined contribution funds are set out in note 2 Profit before finance charges and associate income.

Summarised details of the defined benefit pension funds

2020 
R'000 
  2019 
R'000 
Defined benefit pension obligations (assets) of the fund 
The Bidvest South Africa Pension Fund  (214 329)   (241 390)
(214 329)   (241 390)
Contributions to the fund 
   Employee contributions  338    356 
Total pension fund asset 
   Fair value of plan assets  587 143    625 295 
   Actuarial present value of defined benefit obligations  (363 155)   (381 253)
   Net surplus in the plans  223 988    244 042 
   Amounts not recognised due to ceiling adjustments and other limitations  (9 659)   (2 652)
214 329    241 390 
Movement in the liability for defined benefit obligations 
Balance at beginning of year  (381 253)   (390 780)
Benefits paid  27 797    25 496 
Risk premiums and expenses  990    999 
Current service costs  (2 338)   (2 296)
Transfers in for the benefit of pensioners  (1 399)  
Interest expense  (34 580)   (37 000)
Member contributions  (338)   (356)
Actuarial gains  27 966    22 684 
Balance at end of year  (363 155)   (381 253)
Movement in the plans' assets  
Balance at beginning of year 625 295    623 979 
Transfer in * 2 797    101 
Contributions paid into the plans 338    356 
Benefits paid (27 797)   (25 496)
Risk premiums and expenses (990)   (1 986)
Interest income 57 059    59 345 
Return on plan assets in excess of interest income (69 559)   (31 004)
Balance at end of year 587 143    625 295 
*    From the unclaimed benefits reserve (2019: to pensioner pool in respect of ex-gratia payments)  
     
The plans' assets comprise       
Cash  56 366  64 405 
Equity securities  267 737  310 772 
Bills, bonds and securities  110 970  108 801 
Property  21 137  18 759 
International  124 474  117 555 
Other  6 459  5 003 
587 143  625 295 
Amounts recognised in the income statement 
Current service costs  2 338  2 296 
Transfer in from unclaimed benefit reserve  –  (101)
Interest on obligations  34 580  37 000 
Interest income on plan assets  (57 059) (59 345)
Ceiling adjustments and other limitations  247  836 
Risk premiums and expenses  –  987 
(19 894) (18 327)
Amounts recognised in other comprehensive income 
Return on plan assets in excess of interest income  69 559  31 004 
Actuarial gains  (27 966) (22 684)
Transfers in  (1 398)
Ceiling adjustments and other limitations  6 760  (6 806)
46 955  1 514 
Key actuarial assumptions used in the actuarial valuations: 
The Bidvest South Africa Pension Fund 
    Number of in service members 30 June  15  19 
    Number of pensioners 30 June  530  537 
    Discount rate (%) 10.6  9.3 
    Inflation rate (%) 5.6  5.6 
    Salary increase (%) 6.6  6.6 
    Pension increase allowance (%) 3.9  3.9 
Date of valuation of all funds  30 June 2020  30 June 2019 
   

Assumptions regarding future mortality are based on published statistics and mortality tables.

Sensitivity analysis

The table below summarises the impact that a reasonably possible change in the respective assumption, occurring at the end of the year, would have, by increasing (decreasing) the net surplus in the plan, while holding all the other assumptions constant.

2020 
Impact of an 
increase in 
assumption 
R'000 
  2019 
Impact of an 
increase in 
assumption 
R'000 
The Bidvest South Africa Pension Fund
    Discount rate – 1% 4 346    7 497 
    Pension increase – target 100% of inflation (assumption 70%) (14 343)   (12 060)
    Salary increase – 1% (1 284)   (4 650)

The sensitivity analyses presented above may not be representative of the actual change in the net surplus in the plans as it is unlikely that the change in assumptions would occur in isolation of one another as some of the assumptions may be correlated.

2020 
R'000 
  2019 
R'000 
Defined benefit pension obligations (assets) of the fund 
Warner Howard Limited Pension and Life Assurance Plan  –    – 
Total pension fund asset 
    Fair value of plan assets  272 073    – 
    Actuarial present value of defined benefit obligations  (240 939)   – 
    Net surplus in the plans  31 134    – 
    Amounts not recognised due to ceiling adjustments and other limitations  (31 134)   – 
–    – 
Movement in the liability for defined benefit obligations 
    Benefits paid  1 378    – 
    Interest expense  (1 072)   – 
    Actuarial gains  (30 774)   – 
    Acquisition of businesses  (232 062)   – 
    Exchange rate adjustments on foreign plans  21 591    – 
Balance at end of year  (240 939)   – 
Liabilities are measured 
Movement in the plans' assets 
Benefits paid  (1 378)   – 
Interest income  1 247    – 
Return on plan assets in excess of interest income  28 937    – 
Acquisition of businesses  268 095    – 
Exchange rate adjustments on foreign plans  (24 828)   – 
Balance at end of year  272 073    – 
The plans' assets comprise 
Cash  272    – 
Equity securities  92 505    – 
Bills, bonds and securities  179 296    – 
272 073    – 
Amounts recognised in the income statement 
Interest on obligations  1 072    – 
Interest income on plan assets  (1 247)   – 
Ceiling adjustments and other limitations  175    – 
–    – 
Amounts recognised in other comprehensive income 
Return on plan assets in excess of interest income  (28 937)   – 
Actuarial losses  30 774    – 
Ceiling adjustments and other limitations  (1 837)   – 
–    – 
Key actuarial assumptions used in the actuarial valuations: 
Number of pensioners 30 June  143    – 
Discount rate (%) 1.4    – 
Inflation rate (%) 3.3    – 
Pension increase allowance (%) 3.2    – 
Date of valuation of all funds  30 June 2020   

Assumptions regarding future mortality are based on published statistics and mortality tables.

Sensitivity analysis

The table below summarises the impact that a reasonably possible change in the respective assumption, occurring at the end of the year, would have, by increasing (decreasing) the net surplus in the plan, while holding all the other assumptions constant.

2020 
Impact of 
an increase 
R'000 
  2019
Impact of an
increase
R'000
Warner Howard Limited Pension and Life Assurance Plan
Discount rate – 1% 28 773   
Pension increase – target 100% of inflation (10 886)  

The sensitivity analyses presented above may not be representative of the actual change in the net surplus in the plans as it is unlikely that the change in assumptions would occur in isolation of one another as some of the assumptions may be correlated.

2020 
R'000 
  2019 
R'000 
Post-retirement medical aid obligations 
The Group provides post-retirement medical benefit subsidies to certain retired employees and is responsible for the provision of post-retirement medical benefit subsidies to a limited number of current employees. 
Provision for post-retirement medical aid obligations 
Opening provision raised against unfunded obligation  74 317    76 943 
Current service costs (relief) 369    (244)
Interest expense  5 667    6 170 
Benefits paid  (7 722)   (7 981)
Actuarial adjustments recognised in other comprehensive income  (8 226)   (571)
Acquisition of businesses  15 660    – 
Disposal of businesses and transfer to discontinued operations  (990)   – 
Closing provision raised against unfunded obligation  79 075    74 317 
 
Key actuarial assumptions 
Discount rate  9.0    8.7 
Inflation rate (CPI) 4.4    5.7 
Health care cost inflation  6.4    7.7 
Date of valuation  30 June 2020    30 June 2019 

A change in the medical inflation rates will not have a significant impact on the post-retirement medical aid cost and related obligations.