ESG objectives must shift from reporting to real‑time accountability
South African businesses are increasingly realising that Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) goals can no longer be treated as a once‑a‑year reporting exercise. By Lauren Potgieter, country manager at Infobip South Africa Instead, ESG has become an ongoing...
When compliance gaps turn into expensive lessons
The latest regulatory action against a major financial institution, resulting in a R28 million administrative penalty for shortcomings under the Financial Intelligence Centre Act (FICA), is a timely reminder that compliance cannot be treated as a once-off exercise. By...
Whistleblowing: A governance responsibility for every organisation
Recent corruption investigations in South Africa have once again highlighted the important role whistleblowers can play in bringing potential wrongdoing to light. While much of the public debate has focused on government and state institutions, the same question...
POPIA compliance gap a business risk as third-party threats gain momentum
South African small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that handle personal information are facing a far more rigorous regulatory environment as the Information Regulator moves from guidance and preparation towards active enforcement of POPIA. Attackers have made...
Why mediation should be on every board’s agenda
Recent court developments have reinforced a clear message for South African boards: mediation is no longer a peripheral legal process but an increasingly important part of effective dispute management. That is the central theme of Mediation as a Mechanism for Dispute...
POPIA breach reporting exposes gaps in incident response
Cyber incidents are not new, but the way organisations are expected to respond to them is changing. Under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), breach reporting has increased significantly in South Africa. By Ryan Boyes, senior security administrator at...
PIC debacle shines a spotlight on patronage in SA
The prompt appointment of the Deputy Minister for Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation, Seiso Mohai, as chair of the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) has raised concerns about ongoing patronage at the SOE. This is especially troubling in light of the recent...
An SA perspective on AI chatbots and corporate liability
With the growing use of artificial intelligence and its integration into corporate systems, a key question arises: can a company be held responsible for misleading statements made by its AI chatbot to a customer? By Erwyn Durman, partner; Manno Manavhela, associate;...
Fast AI, slow governance: The gap that could cost enterprises
South African organisations are no longer debating whether to adopt artificial intelligence. Across Africa, 64% of employees now report using AI at work in the past year, ahead of the 54% global average, and 76% believe generative AI improves the quality of their work...
Getting off the grey list was compliance. Staying off will take credibility
South Africa completed its Financial Action Task Force (FATF) action plan and left the grey list in October 2025. The more telling test now is whether the systems built under pressure remain effective when there is no deadline forcing the issue, writes Bradley...
AI risk is the next test of ESG maturity
Artificial intelligence (AI) has moved from experiment to infrastructure. It is being built into customer service, credit processes, recruitment, operations, compliance, and strategy. By Prof Yudhvir Seetharam, chief analytics officer at FNB Business In many...
The real test of agentic AI is accountability, not autonomy
When businesses talk to me about agentic AI, the conversation usually starts with efficiency. They want to know whether an agent can take enough repetitive work off an overstretched team to justify the investment, and how soon that value will show. By Nicol...