How To Claim Phuthuma Nathi Unpaid Dividends

Phuthuma Nathi, a MultiChoice BBBEE share scheme, is looking for 22 000 shareholders who owned shares and did not receive dividends between 2006 and 2020.

There is R207 million in unclaimed dividends, waiting for their rightful owners.

TechFinancials has received a request from shareholders who want to know how to check if they qualify to claim these unpaid dividends.

We have uplifted information from Phuthuma Nathi’s website about how to check if you qualify to claim unpaid dividends.

Shareholders who owned Phuthuma Nathi shares and have not received dividends between 2006 and 2020, can claim their dividends by:

• • • Contacting the Phuthuma Nathi call centre on 086 011 6226. You will need an identification number of the shareholder.
    • Login to the EESE website at https://www.eese.co.za/home

If you don’t remember your login details

• • • Click reset password
    • Enter your ID number and cell number
    • Once your password has been reset and you are logged in successfully, you will be required to change your password to something easier to remember.

Phuthuma Nathi is MultiChoice South Africa’s BBBEE share scheme. Together with MultiChoice Group, it owns 25% of MultiChoice SA. It’s one of the most successful empowerment schemes in South Africa, with more than 80 000 black shareholders from all walks of life.

About unclaimed dividends

Since the start of the scheme in 2006, Phuthuma Nathi has been paying dividends (cash payouts) every year.

22 000 shareholders have not claimed their dividends, which are worth R207 million in total.

Some of the reasons why dividends are unclaimed include:

• • • The banking details are invalid or incorrect
    • The BBBEE certificate has expired
    • The shareholder’s account has been suspended: the account can’t be verified or there is suspected fraud on the account
    • The shareholder is deceased

What has MultiChoice done to date to find the shareholders

“We want to find the 22 000 shareholders or their family members if the shareholder is deceased,” the company said.

“We feel the dividends rightfully belong to these shareholders and would like to find them to pay them their money.”

“To date, we’ve tried calling these shareholders using the contact details provided by them. We’ve also engaged tracing agents.

“There is a media campaign currently running to raise awareness to hopefully identify these shareholders.  Although some of the shareholders have been found, there is still a large number who have not claimed their dividends. Phuthuma Nathi understands the current economic environment is tough and wants to find these shareholders to give them what is rightfully theirs.”

Also read: MultiChoice black investors share R1.2bn