Giving Back to the Community

The South African Funeral Industry Summit 2026 (SAFIS) brings together industry stakeholders to engage in structured, practical discussion around the evolving role of the funeral insurance and funeral services ecosystem in South Africa.

The funeral industry operates within a complex environment shaped by regulatory requirements, operational risk, payment integrity, service delivery standards, and increasing expectations around accountability and sustainability. At the same time, the sector plays an important role within communities, requiring a careful balance between commercial performance and responsible industry practice.

The 2026 theme, “Giving Back to the Community,” frames a focused exploration of how industry participants can strengthen trust, improve service outcomes, and contribute to long-term sector stability. Discussions will consider how policy design, administration processes, payment systems, compliance frameworks, technology adoption, and governance practices can be aligned to support both operational efficiency and community impact.

SAFIS 2026 convenes funeral parlour owners, administrators, brokers, underwriters, payment and financial infrastructure providers, technology partners, and compliance specialists to examine shared challenges, emerging risks, and practical opportunities for collaboration across the value chain.

Positioned as a high-level business to-business platform, SAFIS is designed to facilitate informed dialogue, commercial alignment, and relationship-building among decision-makers who influence how the industry operates today and evolves into the future.

SAFIS 2026 AGENDA

Time	Session	Topic	Moderator	Speakers
08:00 - 08:45	Arrival and Registration	Guest arrival, refreshments, and exhibition opening	—	—
09:00 - 09:15	Welcome and Opening	Welcome, housekeeping, and opening remarks	Themba Robin	Themba Robin
09:15 - 09:25	Why SAFIS Exists	Purpose of SAFIS and the importance of collaboration	—	Marius Brits - 360 Administration & Systems
09:25 - 09:40	360 Admin & Systems	Growth metrics, reach, and vision for the future	—	Warren Mkhonto – 360 Administration & Systems
09:40 - 10:00	360 Admin & Systems	Latest Innovations	—	Stephen Sands – 360 Administration & Systems
10:00 - 10:45	Platinum Sponsor Keynote	Strategic industry perspective and market realities	Sanlam	Nkululeko Mndaweni - SRM Group Business Sanlam
10:45 - 11:30	Insurance Panel	Life and Funeral Insurance in SA: Today and Tomorrow	Darius Wyngaardt	Nkululeko Mndaweni - SRM Group Business Sanlam Kyle Fredericks -Rand Mutual Assurance Leon Marsh - 1 Life Riaan Langenhoven - KGA Life
11:30 - 12:00	Comfort Break	Tea, coffee, and informal networking	—	—
12:00 - 12:45	Payments & Innovations	Payments, Accessibility, and Digital Adoption	Darren Franks	Jonathan De Mattis - Pay@ Eddy Marais – Kwik Payments Willem Labuschagne – Stratcol
12:45 - 13:30	Compliance Fireside Chat	Practical compliance, KYC, and Risk for lower LSM	Danielle Lawrence	Harry Pretorius - Cyclopedic Consulting Hennie Vermaak - FinIntel Ryno Volschenk - Masthead
13:30 - 14:00	Special Guest Talk	The Most Valuable Skill in a Changing World	—	Mark Sham
14:00 - 14:10	Community Focus Initiative	Finding Thabo	Themba Robin	Finding Thabo
14:10 - 18:00	Lunch & Networking	Light lunch and exhibition engagement	—	—

VENUE

The Tryst

Kramerville

Sandton Johannesburg

COMPANIES THAT ATTENDED SAFIS 2026

The 2026 theme, “Giving Back to the Community,” reflects the industry’s responsibility beyond commercial outcomes.

This theme anchors discussions around responsible business practices, ethical administration, community impact, and the role the funeral industry plays in supporting families, protecting dignity, and strengthening trust at a societal level. It also informs how technology, payments, compliance, and service delivery can be leveraged to create better outcomes for communities, not just balance sheets.