The Financial Action Task Force on Oct. 24, 2025, removed South Africa from its greylist after the country met all 22 action items by June and passed a follow-up site assessment in July. Cabinet, meeting in Cape Town this week, welcomed the decision and said it should improve business confidence, lower borrowing costs, and strengthen financial systems, supporting jobs and growth. South Africa was one of four African countries delisted alongside Nigeria, Mozambique, and Burkina Faso.
The country had been placed on the list in February 2023 for gaps in anti-money laundering and counterterrorism financing. Officials credit a coordinated push by the National Treasury, the State Security Agency, the National Prosecuting Authority, the Hawks, and the revenue service with reforms tied to enforcement, governance, and financial crime probes. Authorities said work will continue ahead of the next mutual evaluation that starts in early 2026 and is set to conclude by October 2027, with a focus on measurable outcomes, investigations, prosecutions, and sanctions to maintain compliance and reassure global investors.
The country had been placed on the list in February 2023 for gaps in anti-money laundering and counterterrorism financing. Officials credit a coordinated push by the National Treasury, the State Security Agency, the National Prosecuting Authority, the Hawks, and the revenue service with reforms tied to enforcement, governance, and financial crime probes. Authorities said work will continue ahead of the next mutual evaluation that starts in early 2026 and is set to conclude by October 2027, with a focus on measurable outcomes, investigations, prosecutions, and sanctions to maintain compliance and reassure global investors.
