Electronic service brings foreign persons within SA regulatory reach
The Pretoria High Court's landmark judgment in Financial Sector Conduct Authority v Financial Services Tribunal and Others[1] fundamentally transforms how South African regulators can pursue foreign persons whose conduct impacts domestic financial markets. Lenee...
Forward-thinking enterprises turn regulatory requirements into strategic assets
The regulatory landscape is evolving at breakneck speed. From FSCA requirements to POPIA rulings and stricter PCI-DSS guidelines, South African businesses are often faced with compliance challenges. By Monica Peethum-Nanoo, risk and compliance manager at Altron...
Sustainability, resilience matter more important in ESG backlash
We are at a pivotal moment in the evolution of the global sustainability agenda, writes Stephan Jooste, MD: sustainability, Africa at Zutari. ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance), once heralded as a pragmatic framework for embedding long-term resilience into...
What financial institutions need to know about the COFI Bill
Once enacted, the much-anticipated Conduct of Financial Institutions Bill (COFI) will introduce a significant shift in the legislative and regulatory landscape of South Africa’s financial services sector. It forms a key component of the country’s Twin Peaks regulatory...
DMARC becomes non-negotiable for SA businesses
Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC) is becoming non-negotiable for South African businesses as major global email providers move to tighten authentication requirements. This is according to Jones Mayekiso, technical solutions...
The role of tech in SA’s FATF judgment day
In June this year, the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) Strasbourg Plenary deemed South Africa successful in “substantially completing” its 22-item Action Plan for removal from the FATF greylist. This has set the stage for an authorised onsite visit in October...
Code of Best Practice strengthens trust in research
The Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) has publiched the Revised Code of Best Practice in Scholarly Journal Publishing, Editing, and Peer Review, a key milestone in advancing ethical, professional and trustworthy standards in scholarly publishing in South...
Politics and corruption: can businesses survive without bribery?
South Africa continues to be a nation blighted by corruption. Last year it placed 82nd out of 180 countries on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, showing no improvement on its 2023 ranking. In the past 13 years, local non-profit Corruption...
Why SA tech companies should pay attention to an AI lawsuit
A recent landmark ruling by a California court has delivered legal clarity on a defining question in the era of generative AI: can large language models (LLMs) be trained on copyrighted works without the rights holder’s consent? By Kate Beretta, partner, and Ashleigh...
Carbon credits explained
With record breaking sales once more in 2024, the popularity of carbon dioxide removal credits continues to rise. By Eve Pope, senior technology analyst at IDTechEx As the industry speculates incorporation of carbon removals into broader compliance carbon markets such...
Verification is no longer optional for SA businesses
In a high-stakes regulatory environment, many South African businesses operate under the illusion of compliance until it’s too late. From data privacy and financial licensing to empowerment targets, staying ahead requires more than good intentions. It demands constant...
Navigating SA’s national payment system regulatory framework
In meeting its policy commitments and addressing the regulatory challenges that come with the rising prominence of non-bank payment operations, the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) published two draft documents in the first quarter of 2025. By Lerato Lamola, partner...