Draft AML/CFT amendment Bill tightens regulatory net

The Bill proposes that arrangements yielding outcomes similar to traditional financial products be treated as financial services.

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Benefit payments from life insurers

ASISA reports that, despite strong economic headwinds, South African life insurers honoured claims by policyholders and beneficiaries worth R458 billion in the year ended 30 June 2017. This represents a 9% increase in benefits paid, compared […]

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Herman Pretorius RVAF Update

A recent article in “Die Burger” reports on the first liquidation and distribution accounts in respect of the Herman Pretorius/Relative Value Arbitrage Fund matter. In total, the RVAF handled investments totalling R2.2 billion, and […]

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FAIS Ombud Actions Queried

Two issues in the recent Phoshera appeal again saw the Appeal Board ask questions about the FAIS Ombud’s decisions. “This appeal is filled with procedural anomalies. First, there is the question of condonation […]

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Exemption for Compliance Officers

FAIS Notice 119, published on 13 September 2017, contains details of changes to the minimum prescribed intervals of visits and reports by compliance officers as contained in Section 4(4) of the Notice on Compliance Officers. […]

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POPI Information Officer Obligations

The Protection of Personal Information Act adds yet another obligation on businesses in the financial services sector. Draft regulations, published on 8 September 2017, set out what will be required. Section 4 outlines the duties […]

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Appeal Board upholds Ombud Decision

In June we reported on three new cases to be heard by the FSB Appeal Board. One of these concerned a complaint that was dismissed by the Ombud but the client, an advocate, […]

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Living Annuity Statistics

The August ASISA Dispatches provided the following information on Living Annuities. The 2016 Living Annuities Survey statistics were finalised in August. The survey showed that living annuity policyholders withdrew on average 6.62% of […]

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Retirement Funds Default Regulations

The latest ASISA Dispatches comments as follows: The final regulations were issued by the Minister of Finance on 25 August 2017. The effective date is 1 September 2017 with 18 months being afforded for existing default arrangements to […]

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Do you offer financial advice or coaching?

Every financial adviser should be familiar with the statistics: Only 5% or so of South Africans will retire comfortably. In total, South African consumers owe R1.6 trillion in debt. There are 20 million active credit […]

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Tax Ombud finds against SARS

In these times of rapidly diminishing action against wrongdoers, it is refreshing to read the Tax Ombud’s findings after an investigation into “…alleged delayed payment of refunds as a systemic and emerging issue.” […]

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FIC Amendment Act Implementation Update

The Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) Act has been amended with the first set of provisions coming into effect on 13 June 2017. These provisions do not have any effect on accountable institutions. The next set […]

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Machine Platform Crowd

Harnessing Our Digital Future This is the title of a new book by Andrew McAfee and Erik Brynjolfsson, directors of the MIT Centre for Digital Business, which was recently reviewed in News24.  Below […]

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Addressing Assumptions about POPI

We are not Google, so why should we care about data privacy? Let’s not beat about the bush. Complying with data privacy laws can be expensive and POPI is no exception. So it […]

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Unintended Consequences of NHI

Research by economics consultancy Econex looked at the impact of removing tax credits to medical schemes and then reallocating them to funding National Health Insurance (NHI) as suggested by the 2017 White Paper. […]

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Health Market Inquiry Update

Investigations into the health market by the Competition Commission appear to have hit a bit of a hitch. A media statement confirmed that the “Revised Administrative Timeline”, published on 1 December 2016 has been withdrawn […]

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Understanding Consequential Loss

In a world that seems to constantly produce new forms of risk, it is wise for the public to rely on insurance intermediaries to benefit from their knowledge, experience and expertise, coupled with […]

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