Navigating double taxation agreements in retirement planning
DTAs shape the taxation of lump sums and annuities. This is what financial advisers can do to preserve clients’ retirement benefits.
Treasury proposes higher levies for 2026/27
Most FSCA levies will rise by 3.2%, but retirement funds face a 15% increase in the OPFA levy, and charges are introduced for some entities.
New report maps insurance risk patterns, urges shift to proactive strategies
Standard Insurance’s five-year analysis discloses the main perils affecting businesses and households, and when and why policyholders are most likely to claim.
Medical scheme hikes: CMS calls for restraint, but will schemes listen?
The Council for Medical Schemes recommends capping 2026 contribution increases at 3.3% plus “reasonable utilisation estimates”, yet past trends show schemes often push far higher.
‘Appropriate’ and ‘adequate’ – two words that will shape SA’s next FATF review
New criteria require closer supervisory scrutiny of DNFBPs on market entry, ongoing oversight, and high-quality suspicious-transaction reporting.
FSPs brace for tougher scrutiny as risk-based AML compliance takes centre stage
As South Africa prepares for a tougher FATF evaluation, FSPs must master risk-based compliance – balancing security, cost, and strong partnerships to target real threats and protect legitimate customers.
Used car dealer loses appeal over sale of defective vehicle
The High Court upholds a National Consumer Tribunal ruling that the dealer must refund the purchase price and pay a fine for breaching the Consumer Protection Act.
Santam’s GWP up 10% as international business surges by 25%
For the six months to June, Santam reports net income growth of 19%, with a underwriting margin of 11.3% – well above its target range.
Information Regulator warns: Form 2 must be used for PAIA requests
Information officers should purge Form A from internal and public systems and replace it with Form 2 immediately.
Old Mutual banks on late-mover edge as OM Bank goes live
CEO Clarence Nethengwe says arriving after rivals has given Old Mutual the chance to learn what customers really want in digital banking.
FIC publishes Revised Guidance Note 7A
The updated guidance gives concrete examples of compliance failures and explicitly states that poorly documented RMCPs may be treated as non-compliant.
FIC’s goAML will be offline from 8 to 14 September for upgrade
Ensure registrations and filings are finalised by 5pm on 8 September and back up all records – the old system will be retired after the upgrade.
Two-pot system reshapes behaviour, but retirement gaps remain
The two-pot system has changed how members check balances and withdraw funds, but evidence shows the reform alone won’t fix long-term retirement shortfalls.
Draft amendments narrow taxpayers’ ‘bona fide inadvertent error’ defence
The proposal restricts the ‘bona fide inadvertent error’ defence under the understatement penalty regime to cases where the tax shortfall is a ‘substantial understatement’.
High Court dismisses bid to halt race and gender targets
Designated employers must begin aligning their workplace demographics with the Employment Equity Act’s numerical targets from 1 September.
Australia’s playbook: what SA can learn to fix its retirement crisis
Old Mutual’s Michelle Acton tells IRFA delegates that Australia’s superannuation system provides a roadmap for boosting coverage and retirement outcomes.
An eerie calm before the storm
While index levels look stable through September’s expiries, concentrated option exposures and rising fund-based covered-call strategies create a fragile backdrop for a sudden move.
How COFI will affect the retirement funds industry
COFI replaces the registration model with a conduct-focused licensing regime for retirement funds – a step that will raise governance, fit-and-proper checks and public disclosure requirements across the sector.
