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Security breach: GEPF systems offline as agency scrambles to safeguard information
The fund assured stakeholders that no payments have been impacted by the incident.
GPAA systems have been offline, rendering regional offices, call centres, and other service points inaccessible to clients seeking assistance with pension administration queries. Picture: iStock
The Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) has been compelled to shut down its systems after detecting an attempted unauthorised access.
In a statement, GEPF explained that the incident, which occurred on Friday, 16 February, prompted the Government Pensions Administration Agency (GPAA) to take immediate action to safeguard member information and benefits.
The GEPF, responsible for administering pensions for government employees, notified its members, pensioners, and stakeholders about the system shutdown via an official statement.
“The GPAA, the administrator for GEPF systems, is currently working tirelessly to restore functionality and reinstate services to its clients,” it said.
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Friday morning
According to the GEPF’s initial notice, issued on the 16 February, the GPAA systems were offline, rendering regional offices, call centres, and other service points inaccessible to clients seeking assistance with pension administration queries.
Despite this setback, the GEPF assured its clients that their benefits were secure and unaffected by the system failure.
In an update provided subsequently, the GPAA confirmed that the system shutdown was a response to an attempted security breach.
Following the incident, all systems were taken offline to prevent any further unauthorised access and to initiate necessary security protocols.
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Working on systems
“The restoration process is currently underway, with the GPAA working to bring systems back online and resume normal operations,” the agency said.
While the system outage has undoubtedly inconvenienced members and pensioners, the GEPF reiterated its commitment to ensuring the safety of benefits and personal information.
The fund assured stakeholders that no payments have been impacted by the incident, and pensioners will continue to receive their benefits as scheduled.
The GEPF urged affected members to remain patient during this period and refrain from visiting GEPF offices until services are fully restored.
“Daily updates will be provided to keep stakeholders informed of the progress towards system recovery,” the agency said.
