Procedure

The Ombudsman shall require, all complaints to be written on paper or electronic form, shall seek to resolve every such complaint.
The determination aforesaid may be to:

• dismiss the complaint;
• Partially or fully rule in favour of the complainant; and
• make a ruling of a procedural or evidentiary nature.

  The GEPO may decline to consider or may dismiss a complaint, at any stage of the complaints handling process, if it appears that:

  the complaint is being pursued in a dishonest, frivolous, vexatious, abusive or unreasonable manner; or

  If a complainant fails or refuses to furnish information requested by the ombudsman within the period fixed for that purpose, the ombudsman shall be free to determine on the information as may then be available to it.

  A determination made by the GEPO shall be binding on the Fund, the employer and the member concerned.

  All documents exchanged between the parties to a complaint and GEPO are confidential and shall not be shared with third parties without the written consent of the submitting party or an order of a court of law.

• If the GEPO and all the parties concerned are in agreement that a complaint or a material and conclusive dispute of fact can best be determined by the hearing of evidence, it may be so determined.
• A hearing as aforesaid may be conducted by the GEPO or any other person or persons appointed for that purpose by the Ombudsman.At such a hearing all issues of a procedural or evidentiary nature shall be determined by the GEPO or other person or persons so appointed.

If the employer, GEPF or GPAA fails or refuses to comply with a determination made by the GEPO, such party shall be given notice by the GEPO that it is to comply with such determination within a period of eight (8) weeks or such further period as the GEPO may determine and shall be held accountable in terms of the Service Level Agreement (SLA) applicable between such party and GEPO.