This blog was authored by Rory Scott, Candidate Attorney.
In recent years, financial markets globally have been implementing the reform of reference interest rates to Risk-free Reference Rates (RFRs). South Africa, following suit, is progressing towards replacing the Johannesburg Interbank Average Rate (JIBAR) with the preferred successor rate of the Market Practitioners Group’s (MPG), most
During a virtual meeting held on 10 June 2020, Cabinet approved the Financial Sector Laws Amendment Bill of 2020, for submission to Parliament. In the first step to formalising a resolution process for financially distressed banks, the Bill proposes to designate the SARB as the Resolution Authority, and enhances the SARB’s regulatory tools for discharging
In a further initiative to combat the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, the state, in collaboration with the banking sector and the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has announced a R100 billion loan scheme to assist ailing small and medium-sized businesses (SMMEs).
On 12 May 2020 National Treasury, the SARB and the Banking Association
The SARB’s Prudential Authority (PA) issued a guidance note advising that it did not expect banks to distribute dividends on ordinary shares or pay cash bonuses to senior executives in 2020. This guidance is not binding on banks but is recommended. In terms of section 46(2) of the Companies Act 2008 resolutions authorising a distribution
In mid-January 2019, the SARB published its Consultation Paper on Policy Proposals for Crypto Assets, amid a growing interest, investment and participation in crypto assets by financial institutions and individuals and an estimated market capitalisation of about US$200 billion for crypto assets globally. Crypto assets are digital representations or tokens that are accessed, verified,
The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has established a Financial Technology (Fintech) programme to assess the emergence of technological innovations in the financial sector and consider their regulatory implications.
In a statement issued on 13 February 2018, the SARB stated that it ‘takes a balanced approach to technological innovations, considering the potential benefits and risks
The Financial Sector Regulation Bill was signed into law by President Zuma on 21 August 2017. The commencement dates for the new Financial Sector Regulation Act (FSR Act) are not yet known.
The act provides the architecture for the new ‘twin peaks’ method of regulation to be adopted across the South African financial services industry,