Rusconi, Rob2022-11-162022-11-162021-11-30Rusconi, R., 2021, ‘Regulating South Africa’s retirement funds: The case for clearer objectives’, South African Journal of Economic and Management Sciences 24(1), a3943. https://DOI.org/10.4102/sajems.v24i1.3943.1011-8627 (print)1996-2118 (online)10.4102/sajems.v24i1.3943https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/88321The research reported in this article is intended to contribute to completion of a PhD degree at the University of Pretoria. Some of the work was carried out as part of an MSc thesis completed in 2019 at the University of Pretoria. I am grateful for the guidance provided by supervisors Prof Conrad Beyers and Prof Corlia van Heerden. I acknowledge as well comments received from delegates to the 2020 Convention of the Actuarial Society of South Africa, to which this paper was presented, and from pre-presentation reviewer, Costa Economou.The rationale for the regulation of participants in financial markets, like retirement funds, is sound. It would be strengthened, however, by a clear statement of the objectives of such regulation. In this article the position is taken that the objectives underpinning the regulation of South African privately-managed retirement funds should be enhanced. It presents this argument with reference to international principles concerning systems of old-age provision, and to the examples of regulations in other jurisdictions. It recommends a set of practical regulatory objectives in the pursuit of efficiency, sustainability, coverage, adequacy and security of provision for old age.en© 2021. The Authors. Licensee: AOSIS. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License.Retirement fundsFinancial marketsRegulatory objectivesSocial protectionGovernment policyArticle