This article is adapted from FCRMC’s Q2 2026 newsletter and highlights key financial crime risk developments, regulatory themes and Board-level priorities across South Africa and Namibia. Financial crime risk remains a priority governance issue for Boards, executive management and senior…
Why compliance still feels harder than it should and what’s actually driving it For most Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs), anti-money laundering compliance does not fail because firms are unwilling to comply. It fails because the system they are…
Recently, our company has experienced a wave of CEO fraud emails. None of our team members were caught by them, but the experience was still a sharp reminder of how persistent and convincing these scams have become. It also reinforced…
Does your operating model still function when pressure increases? Many anti-financial crime (AFC) operating models appear robust in steady conditions. Governance forums meet regularly. Risk appetite is documented. Decision rights are defined. Escalation pathways exist. Under normal operating circumstances, the…
Dear Clients, Business Partners and Consultants, As we progress through the first quarter of 2026, we are pleased to share key developments within FCRMC and across the broader regulatory environment in South Africa and the Southern African region. We continue…
How do you prevent leadership intent from degrading once execution begins? In the previous article, we examined how leadership intent weakens as it moves through governance structures, interpretation gaps, and middle management ambiguity. The pattern is predictable. Intent is clear…
Why do good decisions at the top struggle to translate into consistent execution? In most organisations, leadership intent around anti-financial crime (AFC) is clear. Boards approve risk appetite statements, executives endorse transformation programmes, and senior leaders consistently emphasise the importance…
Is strategy alone enough? Most organisations can clearly articulate their anti-financial crime strategy. They understand regulatory expectations, design and document operating models, and formally sign off on them. These strategies are robust and unshakable on paper. Yet in practice, many…
In today’s complex financial and regulatory landscape, risk management is about more than firewalls, internal audits, and regulatory checklists. It’s about people and culture—and few areas illustrate this better than whistleblowing. Once seen purely as a compliance obligation or even…
Over the past two years, regulators in South Africa have stepped up enforcement efforts in response to deficiencies identified by international oversight bodies. As part of broader measures to improve anti-money laundering (AML), counter-terrorism financing (CTF), and proliferation financing (PF)…