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A Message from our CEO

ARTICLE BY

  • Lizelle van der Merwe
  • CEO
  • FIA

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Dear Members,

As we approach the end of another year, I want to take a moment to reflect with you on what has undoubtedly been one of the most challenging periods many of us have faced in recent times. The pressures, uncertainties, and responsibilities we have carried have demanded extraordinary resilience from every one of us.

This year has tested us in ways none of us could have predicted. At the FIA, we have navigated our own difficult moments, particularly in growing and supporting our membership base. Yet throughout all of it, one truth has remained absolutely constant: our unwavering commitment to you, the intermediary community that forms a cornerstone of South Africa’s financial wellbeing. Your work protects families, supports businesses, and upholds trust in an industry that is critical to the stability of our country. That work is irreplaceable, and we honour it.

What gives me confidence as we look to the future is the remarkable foundation on which this association stands. The FIA is built on decades of leadership, insight, and institutional strength, shaped by people who have poured their experience and passion into this organisation. That legacy is our anchor, it is the source of the trust we have earned with regulators, industry partners, and the broader financial services ecosystem.

In 2026, we will place legacy and resilience at the centre of our work. We want to demonstrate boldly and intentionally that the FIA is an organisation of stature, one that stands firmly behind the vital role intermediaries play in safeguarding the financial futures of South Africans. This is not just about history; it is about the enduring value, relevance, and purpose of our work today and in the years ahead.

I am deeply proud to have served as CEO of this association for the past nine years. But pride does not exempt us from responsibility. We remain committed to evolving, adapting, and rising to whatever challenges lie ahead. We take our duty as custodians of the public interest seriously, and we remain profoundly grateful for the trust you place in us to represent your interests with integrity, humility, and purpose.

As we close our offices on 15 December and reopen on 7 January 2026, I hope you will take the opportunity to rest and replenish your energy. Step away from the demands that so often consume us and spend meaningful time with the people who matter most. The festive season offers a rare chance to be fully present with our loved ones. They deserve that from us, and we deserve that peace for ourselves.

Thank you for your partnership, your trust, and your steadfast commitment to the FIA. It is a privilege to stand alongside you, and we will continue to do so with dedication and sincerity in the year ahead.

With warm regards and best wishes for the festive season,
Lizelle
CEO

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  1. APPLICATION OF TERMS
    • These terms and conditions (“Subscriber Terms”) apply to the subscription by any qualifying member of the South African Underwriting Managers Association NPC (“SAUMA”) to the services and benefits offered by FIA Services (Pty) Ltd (“FIA Services”) under the SAUMA affiliation arrangement (“Subscription”).

  2. NATURE OF SUBSCRIPTION
    • A Subscription under this arrangement:
      • does not constitute membership of FIA NPC;
      • does not confer any voting rights or governance participation in FIA NPC; and
      • is governed solely by the contractual relationship between the Subscriber and FIA Services.

  1. ELIGIBILITY
    • To qualify for the Subscription, the applicant must, at the time of application, be a current paid-up member of SAUMA.
    • FIA Services will verify the applicant’s SAUMA membership status with SAUMA prior to activation, and may re-verify such status periodically.
    • If a Subscriber ceases to be a paid-up member of SAUMA, the Subscription will correspondingly be terminated.
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  1. SERVICES
    • The Subscription entitles the Subscriber to the following benefits:
      • Complimentary access to the FIA CPD Platform;
      • Complimentary access to the FIA Insight Magazine (digital edition);
      • Advertising opportunities on FIA platforms at a discounted rate of 15% (fifteen percent) off the prevailing published rates; and
      • Invitations to attend FIA Technical Webinars annually.
    • FIA Services reserves the right to update, vary or substitute the Services from time to time, provided that the overall value and nature of the benefits remain materially the same.

  1. FEES AND PAYMENT
    • The monthly subscription fee is R260.00 (two hundred and sixty rand) for up to seven registered individuals (Key Individuals and Representatives), and R36.00 (thirty-six rand) per additional registered individual thereafter, excluding VAT.
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    • Subscription fees are reviewed annually in March and may be adjusted with effect from 1 April.
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  1. ONBOARDING
    • Onboarding will be conducted as a Subscription with FIA Services under the SAUMA affiliation arrangement.
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    • By subscribing, the Subscriber authorises FIA Services to confirm their SAUMA membership status with SAUMA and to process personal information for the purposes of fulfilling the Subscription.

  1. TERMINATION
    • The Subscriber may terminate the Subscription by giving FIA Services one calendar month’s written notice.
    • FIA Services may terminate the Subscription on one calendar month’s written notice, or immediately if the Subscriber breaches these Subscriber Terms and fails to remedy such breach within 14 (fourteen) days of receiving written notice.
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    • Termination by the Subscriber shall not relieve the Subscriber of liability for any subscription fees accrued up to the effective date of termination.
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  1. GENERAL
    • These Subscriber Terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa.
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