
Treasury intervention lays bare concentrated municipal debt
Just 10 of the 69 affected municipalities account for more than R21.6bn in arrears to utilities, retirement funds, SARS and other creditors.

Just 10 of the 69 affected municipalities account for more than R21.6bn in arrears to utilities, retirement funds, SARS and other creditors.

Late-payment interest now accounts for almost half of arrears, suggesting unpaid contributions are remaining outstanding for longer.

The Authority’s three-year roadmap also outlines upcoming reforms affecting financial markets, retirement funds, payment services, and cross-sector regulation.

As the National Treasury-backed repayment programme for Ithala depositors nears completion, KZN Treasury says the Prudential Authority will review the repayment administrator’s role.

Advanced data matching is helping SARS to identify businesses and individuals whose tax affairs do not align with their activities.

The Social Relief of Distress grant might be extended while a new policy is finalised.

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.

Treasury says the country already has most of the rules it needs; the challenge now is proving that institutions are using them effectively.

Treasury adviser Ismail Momoniat warns that police corruption and unfinished financial-crime cases could weigh on SA’s FATF assessment.

The High Court backs the SARB’s position that moving Bitcoin to foreign exchanges can amount to an unlawful export of capital.

Treasury and the SARB say the proposals are not intended to criminalise crypto possession and have extended the deadline to comment.

IRFA also sets out how exit withdrawals now work when a member resigns and has already withdrawn from the savings component in the tax year.

The Reserve Bank is not ruling out more rate tightening after successive fuel price jumps have revived inflation risks.

Treasury Director-General Duncan Pieterse says municipalities that fail to reform may increasingly lose operational control of key services.

Exchanges say the draft could affect routine crypto use, while one legal analysis questions whether the framework is truly more permissive.

National Treasury releases the draft Capital Flow Management Regulations to replace the Exchange Control Regulations.

Temporary fuel levy relief ends on 5 May as pressure builds at the pumps. The High Court case will test whether the minister can adjust the levy without Parliament.