FICA

Beneficiaries and eligible dependents of deceased beneficiaries are asked to ensure they have submitted all the necessary banking and FICA documents.

Please check which category below refers to you and submit your information to JIS or your nearest TEBA office as soon as possible:

Category
Documents to submit

I am a beneficiary who is a South African

  1. Bank statement not older than 3 months
  2. Proof of address not older than 3 months
  3. A selfie (photo of yourself holding your green bar coded South African ID Book or Smartcard ID (both sides) underneath your chin

If banking details have not changed then no action is required.

I am a beneficiary who is a Foreign National

  1. Bank statement not older than 3 months
  2. Proof of address not older than 3 months
  3. A selfie photo of yourself holding your Passport (open to the photo page) underneath your chin

If banking details have not changed then no action is required.

I am a dependent of a deceased Thusano Trust beneficiary who was a South African

  1. Contact details to reach you
  2. Certified copy of the ID document of the Deceased
  3. Proof of residence (of you or the executor) not older than 3 months
  4. Late estate stamped bank statement or stamped bank account confirmation letter – not older than 3 months / Affidavit from the beneficiary. In the absence of an estate late bank statement, the beneficiary must provide a sworn affidavit confirming that the estate has been finalised, together with their own stamped bank statement.
  5. Marriage certificate (if you were married to the deceased)
  6. A selfie (photo of yourself holding your green bar coded South African ID Book or Smartcard ID (both sides) underneath your chin
  7. Death Certificate (Certified Copy)
  8. Letter of Authority (where the claim is worth less than R250 000) or Letter of Executorship (where the claim is worth more than R250 000)
    The shares must be listed on the letter of Authority

I am a dependent of a deceased Thusano Trust beneficiary who was a Foreign National

  1. Contact details to reach you
  2. Certified copy of the ID document of the Deceased
  3. Proof of residence (of you or the executor) not older than 3 months
  4. Late estate stamped bank statement or stamped bank account confirmation letter – not older than 3 months / Affidavit from the beneficiary.
  5. Marriage certificate (if you were married to the deceased)
  6. Valid passport
  7. A selfie photo of yourself holding your passport (open to the photo page) underneath your chin
  8. Death Certificate (Certified Copy)
  9. Letter of Authority (where the claim is worth less than R250 000) or Letter of Executorship (where the claim is worth more than R250 000)
    The shares must be listed on the Letter of Authority. Note that for non-resident deceased estates the Letter of Executorship / Letter of Authority / Letter of Transfer must be resealed by the Master of the High Court in South Africa

I am a dependent of a deceased person who was the dependent of a deceased beneficiary

  1. Contact details
  2. Certified copy of the ID of both the deceased beneficiary shareholder and their deceased dependent
  3. Proof of residence (of the beneficiary or executor if married) not older than 3 months
  4. Estate Late stamped bank statement or stamped bank account confirmation letter – NOT OLDER THAN 3 MONTHS / Affidavit from the beneficiary.
  5. Transmission request form signed by the executor or authorised heir.
  6. Marriage certificate (if applicable)
  7. A selfie (photo of yourself holding your green bar coded South African ID Book or Smartcard ID (both sides) underneath your chin or valid Passport (for foreign nationals) / Certified copy of your ID (Claimant).
  8. Two separate Letters of Authority are required: the first reflecting the details of the original (deceased) beneficiary shareholder, and the second reflecting the details of the deceased dependent- Note that for non-resident deceased estates the Letter of Executorship/ Letter of Authority/Letter of Transfer must be resealed by the Master of the High Court in South Africa

I am a dependent of a shareholder beneficiary who is different from the dependent listed on the nomination or exit form of the shareholder beneficiary

  1. Contact details to reach you
  2. Certified copy of the ID document of the Deceased
  3. Proof of residence (of you or the executor if married) not older than 3 months
  4. Late estate stamped bank statement or stamped bank account confirmation letter – not older than 3 months /
  5. Affidavit from the beneficiary.
  6. Marriage certificate (if you were married to the deceased)
  7. A selfie photo of yourself holding your green barcoded South African ID book or smartcard ID (both sides) / or passport if you are a foreign national, held underneath your chin or certified copy of ID
  8. Death Certificate (Certified Copy)
  9. Letter of authority listing all the beneficiaries after holding statement from court (Non-resident LOA to be resealed by Master of High Court in South Africa)
  10. Affidavit instructing how will the funds be allocated

I am recognised as the dependent of the beneficiary and have received dividends since their passing

If banking details have not changed, then no action is required.

How to hand in your documents

You can:

  1. Attach them to an email to the JIS: thusano@jseinvestorservices.co.za
  2. Take your documents to your nearest TEBA office and they will submit them to JIS for you
  3. Submit the documents to the JIS office’s – JSE Building, 1 Exchange Square, 2 Gwen Lane, Sandton, Johannesburg
Explanations about the documents

What does FICA mean?

FICA stands for Financial Intelligence Centre Act 38 of 2001. It is a law in South Africa that protects people from fraud by confirming the identity of people when financial transactions are made.

Where do I get a bank statement?

You can get a bank statement with a bank stamp from an official inside your bank or from the ATM machine using your bank card.

What is a bank confirmation letter?

This is a letter the bank gives you that proves that you are the owner of the bank account.

What is a Commissioner of Oaths?

A Commissioner of Oaths in South Africa is a person allowed to administer oaths, affirmations, and take solemn declarations, ensuring the truthfulness of statements in legal documents like affidavits, and can also certify copies of original documents, to prevent fraud and maintain legal integrity.

What is a proof of address?

Any document from a utility provider (electricity, telephone) or store account, or property lease that shows your name and physical address.

How do I get a sworn affidavit?

Take your ID to a Commissioner of Oaths (like a police officer, attorney, or post office official) who will verify your identity. You will ask them for an affidavit form or write it yourself on a document with the heading Affidavit. You will write the facts that, for example: the Beneficiary stating “I confirm that the estate of (Deceased full names & ID number) is closed and finalised, Please accept my banking details………………… (please state bank name & account number) and sign it in front of the Commissioner of Oaths who will sign and stamp it, making it legally binding.

Where do I get a copy of my marriage certificate?

Where do I get a copy of a death certificate?

Documents related to the identity, life and marriage status of South Africans can be requested from offices of the Department of Home Affairs (DHA). You can also request certain documents on the web using the Home Affairs portal: ehome.dha.gov.za/ehomeaffairs.

What is a certified copy?

You can certify the copy of a document by taking the original document and a copy to a Commissioner of Oaths. Once they sign and date stamp the copy, it is considered certified.

What is a Letter of Authority (LOA)?

A legal document issued by the Master of the High Court in South Africa. It gives a nominated person the power to administer a deceased person’s estate, especially when the estate is ‘small’ or where there is no valid will.

How do I get a Letter of Authority showing the beneficiaries of a deceased person?

A Letter of Authority (LOA) is issued by the Master of the High Court when a deceased estate is R250,000 or below or when intestate administration applies.

The Master of the High Court will require:

  • Death certificate
  • ID of the applicant (the person applying for LOA)
  • ID of the deceased
  • Will, if one exists
  • Next-of-kin affidavit (Form J192) if the deceased died without a will
  • Inventory of assets (Form J243)
  • Any beneficiary nomination documents (e.g., pension/provident fund nominations, trust nominations, employer’s records)
  • Benefit value letter from JIS or the fund administrator – this is often needed for estates involving fund payouts

Proof of relationship, if relevant.

What does it mean to ‘reseal’ a Letter of Authority?

Officially known as Signing and Sealing, this refers to the legal process where the South African Master of the High Court recognises a foreign letter of appointment so an executor can manage assets located within South Africa.

What is a letter of Executorship?

A formal legal document issued by the Master of the High Court that officially appoints and authorises an individual (the executor) to manage and wind up the estate of someone who has passed away, where the value of the estate is more than R250,000.