2011-08-05

G4/2011: Parallel Reporting on Amended Regulatory Forms

The South African Reserve Bank’s Bank Supervision Department has issued Guidance Note 4/2011 to mandate a parallel test run of amended regulatory reporting forms ahead of the 1 January 2012 Basel II enhancements. All registered banks, foreign branches, and controlling companies must submit parallel data via the SARBDEX interface for September through December 2011 according to specified monthly and daily deadlines. Institutions must also return a signed acknowledgement of receipt from their chief executive officer and independent auditors to confirm compliance with the new validation rules.

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[Logo: South African Reserve Bank] South African Reserve Bank From the Office of the Registrar of Banks

G4/2011

2011-08-05

To: All banks, controlling companies, auditors of banks or controlling companies and branches of foreign institutions

Guidance note 4/2011 issued in terms of section 6(5) of the Banks Act, 1990

Matters related to parallel reporting on amended regulatory forms

Executive summary

The Bank Supervision Department (BSD) has issued proposed amended Regulations relating to Banks, in which the forms for regulatory reporting have also been amended. It is essential for the BSD and banks to prepare for implementation of the proposed amended regulatory forms. The BSD has planned steps for a parallel test run of the finalised data forms which is designed to prepare banks for official submission of validated data in 2012 and thereafter.

This circular serves to inform banks, branches of foreign institutions, controlling companies and auditors of banks or controlling companies (hereinafter collectively referred to as ‘banks’) of the target dates relating to the parallel test run.

1. Introduction

1.1 Amendments to the Regulations relating to Banks incorporating changes introduced as part of the enhancements to the Basel II framework will become effective on 1 January 2012. A parallel test run of the regulatory returns specified in Table 1 herein, is necessary for the BSD, Research Department (RSH) and banks to verify their readiness for accurate reporting using the amended forms.

1.2 Parallel data submissions are only necessary for amended forms. The submissions will take place via the SARBDEX interface.

2. Data submission schedules

2.1 It is envisaged that the final draft version of the proposed amended Regulations relating to Banks will be presented to the Minister of Finance during August 2011 for consideration and approval.


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2.2 The proposed amended forms and validation rules will be provided to banks and regulatory return service providers by means of electronic media as from Friday 5 August 2011.

2.3 Banks will have until the end of September 2011 to prepare their systems for reporting using the proposed amended forms. The first submission to the BSD will be on September 2011 data, and is to be submitted by the end of October 2011.

2.4 Data on the proposed amended forms will be submitted through the SARBDEX interface using the standard operating procedures. Proposed amended forms will receive interim designations at the discretion of the BSD (e.g. BA 100 amended will be named BA 101) for the purpose of the parallel run. Banks will be informed closer to the date on the names to be used for the proposed amended forms.

2.5 Banks will be able to make trial submissions to test validation rules any time prior to this period, in consultation with the BSD.

2.6 All banks registered in the Republic are required to submit comprehensive data pertaining to the reporting months September 2011 through to December 2011, as usual on the current prescribed forms.

2.7 In addition, on the dates specified in Table 1, all banks registered in the Republic are required to submit amended monthly forms based on September 2011 data, and a once-off end-of-month submission of the amended daily form BA 325, based on data as at the last working day of September 2011.

2.8 Further parallel submissions will take place on data for October 2011, November 2011 and December 2011 according to the dates specified in Table 1, for all banks registered in the Republic. These submissions will be limited to the proposed amended monthly forms and the daily form BA 325.

2.9 The quarterly BA 600 and BA 610 forms should be submitted for December 2011 in addition to the aforementioned forms according to the dates specified in Table 1.

Table 1 – Final submission dates for proposed amended forms

Proposed Amended FormSeptember 2011October 2011November 2011December 2011
BA 10004 Nov 201102 Dec 201106 Jan 201203 Feb 2012
BA 110
BA 120Not required
BA 125
BA 130
BA 20004 Nov 201102 Dec 201106 Jan 201203 Feb 2012
BA 210Not required03 Feb 2012
BA 220Not required
BA 300
BA 31004 Nov 201102 Dec 201106 Jan 201203 Feb 2012
BA 320
BA 325
BA 330Not required
BA 34004 Nov 201102 Dec 201106 Jan 201203 Feb 2012
BA 350Not required
BA 400

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Proposed Amended FormSeptember 2011October 2011November 2011December 2011
BA 410
BA 50004 Nov 201102 Dec 201106 Jan 201203 Feb 2012
BA 60020 Feb 2012
BA 610Not required20 Feb 2012
BA 70004 Nov 201102 Dec 201106 Jan 201203 Feb 2012
BA 90004 Nov 201102 Dec 201106 Jan 201203 Feb 2012
BA 92004 Nov 201102 Dec 201106 Jan 201203 Feb 2012
BA 93004 Nov 201102 Dec 201106 Jan 201203 Feb 2012

3. Acknowledgement of receipt

3.1 Two additional copies of this guidance note are enclosed for the use of your institution's independent auditors. The attached acknowledgement of receipt, duly completed and signed by both the chief executive officer and the said auditors, must be returned to this Office at the earliest convenience of the aforementioned signatories.

[Signature] Adv M S Blackbeard Registrar of Banks

The previous guidance note issued was Guidance Note 3/2011 dated 23 May 2011.