HERE’S WHAT’S HAPPENING IN SOUTH AFRICA TODAY

Sat 25 October 2025:

Here’s what’s happening in South Africa today:

◼️ FATF lifts South Africa from grey list: After more than two years of reforms, legal updates, and tighter financial controls, SA has met the FATF’s requirements. The FATF said SA has improved its systems to stop money laundering and terrorist financing. Nigeria, Mozambique, and Burkina Faso have also been removed from the list.
https://iol.co.za/news/2025-10-24-fatf-lifts-south-africa-from-grey-list-what-it-means-for-the-economy/

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◼️ MK party rejects claims it’s funded by Louis Liebenberg: Former Police Minister Bheki Cele told MPs that MK Party leader Jacob Zuma had ties to Liebenberg and had financially benefited from him “There is a guy called LL – Louis Liebenberg. He’s a king of zama zamas. He cleans diamonds and everything. He has millions and millions. He funds the MK Party,” Cele said during the hearing
https://www.citizen.co.za/news/zumas-mk-party-rejects-claims-funded-louis-liebenberg/

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◼️ SARS final demand warning to taxpayers in SA: While SARS-branded scam emails and notices are nothing new, with the closing of tax season this week for non-provisional taxpayers, fraudulent activity is picking up. Taxpayers who missed the window to file their taxes, or those whose tax affairs are not finalises, are being targetted by fake letters from SARS claiming to be final demands and notices of court summons.
https://businesstech.co.za/news/finance/840782/sars-final-demand-warning-to-taxpayers-in-south-africa/

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◼️ Africa’s unbanked face a digital divide: South Africa’s major banks are closing physical branches and ATMs at an unprecedented rate. Standard Bank, for example, has reduced its branch footprint by 42% since 2017, while Absa, FNB, and Nedbank have also scaled back operations. The industry is clearly moving towards digital-first banking.
https://www.moneyweb.co.za/news/economy/as-banks-close-branches-africas-unbanked-face-a-digital-divide/

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◼️ Chinese car brand has big plans for SA: Chinese carmaker Changan plans to open 25 dealerships by the end of 2025, with the goal of expanding to 45 dealerships by 2027. The company expects to create up to 600 jobs in South Africa over the next two years as it launches operations in the country through its distributor, Jameel Motors SA.
https://www.businessday.co.za/companies/2025-10-24-chinese-carmaker-changan-to-open-45-sa-dealerships-create-600-jobs/

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