COVID-19

 

• The recently announced grace period for renewing expired drivers’ and learners’ licences, temporary driving licences and professional driving permits was  formalised on 31 August by notice in the Government Gazette.

 

• On 31 August, a Government Gazette notice confirmed a decision by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa to extend by three-months the validity of temporarily assigned radio frequency spectrum.

 

• The Prudential Authority has called for public comment on:
  • a draft directive proposing an end to credit restructuring for ‘certain borrowers’, and
  • a draft directive proposing the phasing out of temporary measures easing the liquidity coverage ratio for banks.

 

GREEN PAPER ON SOCIAL SECURITY AND RETIREMENT

 

• The Department of Social Development has:
• withdrawn a recently released Green Paper on ‘comprehensive social security and retirement reform’, and
• issued a media statement:
  • explaining that ‘some … technical aspects’ of the paper ‘were not well understood’ and may have ‘misrepresented’ what is envisaged, and
  • confirming that, ‘as soon as these issues have been addressed’, a revised Green Paper will be published for public comment.

 

FINANCE

 

• The Prudential Authority has called for public comment on a draft directive intended to clarify requirements associated with calculating the consolidated liquidity coverage ratio

 

• The South African Reserve Bank has called for public comment on a concept paper proposing implementation principles for a standardised triparty collateral management framework.

 

• National Treasury has called for public comment on benchmark setting proposals.

 

PETROLEUM PRODUCTS

 

• The amended regulations for blending biofuels with petrol and diesel have been gazetted.

 

• New regulations on petroleum product specifications and standards have been gazetted.

 

SCRAP METAL EXPORTS

• The International Trade Administration Commission has called for public comment on draft amendment to the revised guidelines on exporting ferrous and non-ferrous waste and scrap metal.

 

Prepared by Pam Saxby