South African Reserve Bank Tightens Exchange Control Rules for Dividend Payments to Non-Residents

The South African Reserve Bank’s Financial Surveillance Department has implemented new tax-compliance checks for sending income abroad, including dividends owed to foreign shareholders. These amendments mark a significant shift in the long-standing treatment of non-resident dividend flows. Overview of the Regulatory Update On 22 October 2025, the Financial Surveillance Department issued Exchange Control Circular No. […]

CIPC Tightens Deregistration Measures for Non-Compliant Companies

The Companies and Intellectual Property Commission CIPC has intensified its automated deregistration programme, targeting companies and close corporations that fail to submit annual returns or beneficial ownership information. Entities that do not meet these statutory requirements face swift removal from the register, an outcome that carries serious legal and financial consequences. Why Compliance Matters To […]

POPIA Compliance and Employee Photos: What Companies Must Know During Year-End Celebrations

As companies prepare to wrap up the year, staff functions, corporate lunches and end-of-year parties take centre stage. These gatherings usually come with plenty of photos, team snapshots, behind-the-scenes moments, and festive group shots. Many employers later upload these images to their LinkedIn pages, internal newsletters, recruitment brochures or digital marketing campaigns. However, even at […]

Understanding Year-End Bonuses in South Africa: What Employers and Employees Should Know

As South African businesses prepare to close the year, many employees begin anticipating year-end bonuses. However, it is important to understand that bonuses are not automatically guaranteed under South African labour law. Whether a bonus is payable depends entirely on the wording of the employment contract, workplace policies, or the specific bonus framework applied within […]

Beneficial Ownership Transparency and the Fight Against Illicit Financial Flows

Criminal networks and corrupt actors have long attempted to disguise the origins of unlawful funds by funnelling them into the legitimate financial sector. As traditional laundering techniques became easier for regulators to uncover, these actors shifted toward more intricate schemes. One of the most common strategies has been the exploitation of corporate structures, companies, trusts, […]