Banking & Insurance

My client Danie comes to mind. I will not use his real name because he will recognise himself immediately. Last year, Danie spent R14,000 on vehicle security. He installed a Ghost immobiliser and a Radio Frequency (RF) tracker. He also bought a Faraday pouch. In addition, he applied smash-and-grab film to every window and purchased a steering lock.

The 2026 National Budget Speech was delivered by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana on 25 February. He delivered the 2026 budget speech against a backdrop of complex fiscal trade-offs. South Africa continues to face high debt-servicing costs. As a result, the government’s capacity to act as the primary buffer against economic shocks has become more constrained. Therefore, the 2026 budget speech highlights the growing importance of shared responsibility across the broader economy.

Digital and mobile-first banking has changed our lives for the better. However, it has exposed consumers and institutions to increasingly complex financial crime threats. Digital banking fraud now represents one of the fastest-growing risk categories in South Africa.

It starts, as these things invariably do, on a perfectly innocuous Tuesday. The coffee is hot. The cat judges me from the sofa. The world seems, temporarily, to behave itself. Then, you make the fatal error. You check your bank account. There it is. A debit order. But not the friendly, familiar figure that you have grown accustomed to. That one we agreed upon over a handshake, or more likely a shiny tick box on a glowing screen.

Recent negative media coverage has placed the Road Accident Fund (RAF) alongside other state-owned enterprises under scrutiny. As a result, it is natural for South Africans to question their confidence in the institution. Yet the truth about the RAF remains clear. RAF has supported hundreds of thousands of South Africans in their physical and emotional recovery after devastating road accidents. Importantly, this vital work continues.

Extreme heat is emerging as one of the most dangerous climate-related threats. However, it remains largely overlooked because its impacts are less visible than floods or hurricanes. As global temperatures continue to rise, governments face mounting pressure to respond. Experts increasingly describe extreme heat as a “silent killer” that affects health, infrastructure and economic productivity.

Smarter underwriting, stronger risk management and closer collaboration between insurers and engineers are shaping the industry’s future. Engineering has always been about progress. It stretches the limits of knowledge, materials and technology to solve complex problems. However, innovation and risk remain inseparable. Every project carries uncertainty.

If you’re a member of a medical scheme, you should understand Prescribed Minimum Benefits (PMBs). By law, all medical schemes must offer these benefits to every member. This requirement applies regardless of the scheme you choose. PMBs guarantee access and cover for a minimum, defined list of healthcare benefits. In effect, they represent the bare minimum of PMB protection in the private healthcare system.

So, what do most comprehensive cyber insurance policies usually cover? First, they cover the costs of investigating and responding to a breach. Forensic teams do not work for free. You will need them to determine what happened, how severe the breach is and whether the attacker left evidence behind. Understanding these response costs is essential when assessing cyber insurance limits.

In today’s competitive marketplace, companies face mounting pressure to attract and retain investors. This pressure can tempt leaders to overstate achievements or inflate projections. Some may also resort to window dressing. While these tactics can polish a company’s image, they raise the risks of corporate ‘washing’. More seriously, they can cross into misrepresentation or securities fraud