Tag: governance

Time has run out for non-compliant trusts. Since 4 May 2026, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) has imposed administrative penalties on trusts with outstanding tax returns. SARS levies these penalties monthly. In some cases, penalties may reach R16,000 per outstanding return.

How do structural advantages persist and evolve, even in the wake of liberation? How does a country shaped by anticolonial struggle become fertile ground for wealth concentration alongside enduring inequality? South Africa holds one of the strongest constitutions globally. At the same time, it remains one of the most unequal societies in the world.

Frontiers of National and International Development offers an incisive interrogation of statecraft and governance in the Global South. Drawing on theory, policy experience and case studies from South Africa and China, Busani Ngcaweni explores how capable and ethical leadership drives national and global development transformation.

Picture a rainy Wednesday morning in Sandton, sometime in the near future. A claims handler opens their laptop. Right away, things move much faster than before. For every new email, the company’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) system drafts a suggested reply. The inbox is also lighter. A public chatbot handles most client and broker queries because it has been trained on policy wordings and continues to improve. Need a meeting? An AI assistant schedules it, sets reminders, and even takes minutes.

In South Africa’s evolving corporate landscape, the role of the Non-Executive Director is undergoing a quiet but significant transformation. Increasingly, the expanding role of the Non-Executive Director reflects this shift. Previously, organisations primarily tasked Non-Executive Directors with oversight and compliance. Today, however, they expect Non-Executive Directors to contribute meaningfully to strategy, risk navigation and long-term value creation.

South Africa’s financial institutions are investing heavily in digital transformation, data capabilities and new financial technologies. However, technology alone will not determine which institutions succeed in the coming decade. Instead, leadership will serve as the real differentiator.

Earlier in November 2025, the South African Reserve Bank announced administrative sanctions against two finance companies. Regulators imposed these sanctions after the companies failed to comply with the Financial Intelligence Centre Act (FICA).

In today’s South African corporate landscape, shaped by governance scrutiny, activist shareholders, geopolitical volatility, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) pressure and rapid technological disruption, the role of the CEO has changed fundamentally. Boards are no longer looking for steady operators. They are looking for strategic architects of resilience, growth and trust. Achieving CEO excellence is now essential.

Recent commentary has created confusion around professional qualifications, regulatory designations and pathways into the Registered Auditor (RA) profession. As such, we wish to clarify the distinction between the Chartered Accountant (SA) [CA(SA)] designation, the registration of auditors by the Independent Regulatory Board for Auditors (IRBA) and other qualifications with professional bodies.

2025 settled the debate around the importance of data and AI. Most companies have already pulled these tools into their core operations in one way or another. As we kick off the new year, the conversation changes. The real test is whether those early efforts can mature, hold up under pressure, and deliver value that lasts beyond the first wave of excitement. These data and technology trends will define how organisations scale analytics and AI capabilities in 2026.