2014-02-06

C1/2014: Status of previously issued circulars

The Registrar of Banks issued Circular 1/2014 to annually confirm the effective status of previously issued circulars for banks, controlling companies, eligible institutions, and auditors. The document lists specific circulars from 2010 to 2013 that remain in force while clarifying that directives issued under section 6(6) of the Banks Act remain effective until formally withdrawn. Addressees are required to retain copies of the listed circulars and return signed acknowledgements of receipt to the Office.

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

C1/2014

2014-02-04

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

Circular 1/2014 issued in terms of section 6(4) of the Banks Act, 1990:

Status of previously issued circulars

Executive Summary

In order to ensure that banks (including branches of foreign institutions), controlling companies, eligible institutions and auditors of a bank or controlling company are in no doubt as to which previously issued circulars remain effective, this Office will annually confirm their status.

Addressees should note that contrary to the process whereby the status of circulars are annually confirmed, directives issued in terms of section 6(6) of the Banks Act, 1990 (Act No. 94 of 1990 – the Banks Act), remain effective until such time that they are withdrawn in writing by the Registrar of Banks (the Registrar) in terms of section 6(6)(c) of the Banks Act.

1. Introduction

1.1 All previously issued circulars are deemed to be withdrawn/terminated/replaced except if such a circular is to remain effective and is then accordingly confirmed in Circular 1 of that year. The circulars that remain effective will retain their original numbers and dates.

2. Effective Circulars

The circulars listed below remain effective. Accordingly, banks, controlling companies, eligible institutions and auditors of a bank or controlling company are hereby requested to retain a copy of these circulars.

CircularBrief Details
2.1 Banks Act Circular 2/2010Interpretation of definition of default as outlined in regulation 67 of the Regulations relating to Banks
2.2 Banks Act Circular 3/2010Regulations relating to Banks and related matters
2.3 Banks Act Circular 4/2010Basel Committee report to the G20: Comprehensive response to the international financial crisis
2.4 Banks Act Circular 5/2010Interpretation and application of criteria relating to the granularity for retail exposures
2.5 Banks Act Circular 6/2010Interpretation and application of criteria relating to exposures secured by residential mortgage bonds
2.6 Banks Act Circular 2/2011Eligible credit assessment institutions approved by the Registrar of Banks
2.7 Banks Act Circular 3/2011The use of mapping tables by banks, controlling companies and branches of foreign institutions converting national scale ratings to international scale ratings for the calculation of minimum required capital and reserve funds related to credit risk
2.8 Banks Act Circular 5/2011Disclosure of capital related information
2.9 Banks Act Circular 2/2013Matters related to specified minority interests, that is, non-controlling interests, in shares and/or instruments qualifying as capital
2.10 Banks Act Circular 3/2013Interpretation and application of criteria relating to effective maturity
2.11 Banks Act Circular 4/2013Treatment of investments in banking, financial, securities, insurance and commercial entities
2.12 Banks Act Circular 5/2013Reporting of items subject to thresholds that do not constitute a full deduction from qualifying capital and reserve funds
2.13 Banks Act Circular 6/2013Matters related to conditions for the issue of instruments or shares, the proceeds of which rank as Tier 2 capital

3. Effective Directives

Section 6(6)(a) of the Banks Act prescribes that this Office may, after consultation with the relevant bank, controlling company, eligible institution or auditor of a bank or controlling company, issue a directive to such a bank, controlling company, eligible institution or auditor of a bank or controlling company, either individually or collectively, regarding the application of the Banks Act.

This Office issued a number of directives in terms section 6(6)(a) of the Banks Act. It is hereby confirmed that all such issued directives will remain effective until such time as they are withdrawn in writing by the Registrar in terms of section 6(6)(c) of the Banks Act.

DirectiveBrief Details
3.1 Directive 1/2008Use of divisional names
3.2 Directive 2/2008Procedure to be followed in respect of applications in terms of the provisions of sections 37, 52 and/or 54 of the Banks Act, 1990
3.3 Directive 3/2008Appointment of directors or executive officers and completion of Form BA 020
3.4 Directive 4/2008Disclosure of repurchase and resale agreements and similar transactions
3.5 Directive 5/2008Composition of board-appointed committee to approve large exposures
3.6 Directive 6/2008Auditor rotation
3.7 Directive 1/2011Matters relating to securitisation vehicles
3.8 Directive 2/2011Reporting daily value-at-risk amounts for market risk using specified items of the form BA 325
3.9 Directive 5/2011Exemption from certain minimum disclosure requirements pertaining to branches of foreign institutions
3.10 Directive 1/2012Information to be included in applications in terms of the Securitisation Notice – Designation of an activity not falling within the meaning of “the business of a bank” (Securitisation Notice)
3.11 Directive 1/2013Matters related to qualifying capital instruments issued by subsidiaries of banks or controlling companies
3.12 Directive 2/2013Matters related to the liquidity coverage ratio

DirectiveBrief Details
3.13 Directive 3/2013Matters related to capital floors
3.14 Directive 4/2013Matters related to transitional arrangements relating to the surplus capital of a subsidiary attributable to third parties
3.15 Directive 5/2013Capital framework for South Africa based on the Basel III framework
3.16 Directive 6/2013Matters related to changes to credit risk models used for the calculation of required capital and reserve funds for credit risk
3.17 Directive 7/2013Matters related to locational statistics based on residence and nationality (form BA 940)
3.18 Directive 8/2013Matters related to the composition of Pillar 3 capital disclosure requirements
3.19 Directive 9/2013Investments, and loans and advances by controlling companies: Section 50 of the Banks Act, 1990
3.20 Directive 10/2013Limit in respect of effective net open foreign-currency position, and matters related to the unencumbered assets to be held by branches of foreign institutions.
3.21 Directive 11/2013Operational risk practices – completion and submission of the BA 410 return
3.22 Directive 12/2013Mapping of the international scale rating symbols of Fitch Ratings and Moody’s Investors Service to the prescribed risk weights available in terms of regulation 23 of the Regulations relating to banks
3.23 Directive 13/2013Clarification of the requirements for approval of the acquisition of “an interest” outside the Republic as provided for in section 52(1)(c) of the Banks Act, 1990 (Act No. 94 of 1990)
3.24 Directive 14/2013Transitional arrangements related to capital requirements for over-the-counter derivatives that are not transacted through a central counterparty

4. Acknowledgement of receipt

4.1 Two additional copies of this circular 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]

René van Wyk Registrar of Banks

The previous circular issued was Banks Act Circular 6/2013, dated 20 August 2013.