{{Short description|South African government agency responsible for prudential regulation}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox government agency | name = Prudential Authority | native_name = | native_name_a = | native_name_r = | type = | seal = | seal_size = | seal_caption = | seal_alt = | logo = Prudential_Authority_Logo.png | logo_size = | logo_caption = | logo_alt = | image = | image_size = | image_caption = | image_alt = | formed = {{start date and age |2018|04|01}} | preceding1 = Financial Services Board | preceding2 = | dissolved = | superseding1 = | superseding2 = | agency_type = | jurisdiction = South Africa | status = Active | headquarters = Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa | coordinates = | motto = | employees = | budget = | minister_type = | minister1_name = | minister1_pfo = | minister2_name = | minister2_pfo = | deputyminister_type = | deputyminister1_name = | deputyminister1_pfo = | deputyminister2_name = | deputyminister2_pfo = | chief1_name = Fundi Tshazibana (CEO)<ref name= "SARB - Our People">{{cite web|url= https://www.resbank.co.za/en/home/about-us/our-people1 |title= SARB - Our People |author= |publisher= SARB |date= |access-date= 5 May 2026 }}</ref> | chief1_position = | chief2_name = Lesetja Kganyago (Chairperson) | chief2_position = | parent_department = | parent_agency = The South African Reserve Bank | parent_agency_type = | child1_agency = | child2_agency = | keydocument1 = ''The Prudential Authority Regulatory Strategy'' | website = {{URL|https://resbank.co.za/en/home/publications/prudential-authority}} | agency_id = | map = | map_size = | map_caption = | map_alt = | mapframe = | footnotes = | embed = }}

The '''Prudential Authority''' (PA) is the South African government agency responsible for the country's prudential regulation (the supervision and regulation of its banks and other financial institutions).<ref name= "South African Reserve Bank on Prudential Authority">{{cite web|url= https://www.gov.za/news/media-statements/south-african-reserve-bank-prudential-authority-01-mar-2018 |title= South African Reserve Bank on Prudential Authority |author= |publisher= The Government of South Africa |date= 1 March 2018 |access-date= 5 May 2026 }}</ref>

The agency was established in 2018, through the promulgation of the ''Financial Sector Regulation Act 9 of 2017''. The act also established the FSCA, which is responsible for the country's financial institutions market conduct regulation.<ref name= "FCSA - About Us">{{cite web|url= https://www.fsca.co.za/About-Us/ |title= FCSA - About Us |author= |publisher= FCSA |date= |access-date= 5 May 2026 }}</ref>

The two new agencies were previously joined, as the Financial Services Board. The PA is within the administration of the South African Reserve Bank. As such, its processes align with those of the SARB, and the PA is audited by the SARB's Internal Audit Department.<ref name= "Prudential Authority Regulatory Strategy, 2025 - 2030" />

As per its mandate, the Prudential Authority is responsible for regulating South Africa's banks (of all types), insurers, co-operative financial institutions, financial conglomerates, and certain market infrastructures.<ref name= "SARB - Prudential Regulation">{{cite web|url= https://www.resbank.co.za/en/home/what-we-do/Prudentialregulation |title= SARB - Prudential Regulation |author= |publisher= The South African Reserve Bank |date= |access-date= 13 April 2026 }}</ref>

To ensure it follows its mandate, the Prudential Authority publishes a Regulatory Strategy. The strategy provides public information about the PA's approach to regulation and supervision, guiding principles for its regulatory and supervisory decisions, major priorities over a three-year period, and the outcomes it intends to achieve in order to realize those priorities.<ref name= "SARB - Prudential Regulation" />

The PA is the body that issues banking licenses in South Africa, and manages the registration and deregistration of financial institutions.<ref name= "New international bank coming to South Africa">{{cite web|url= https://businesstech.co.za/news/banking/843385/new-international-bank-coming-to-south-africa/ |title= New international bank coming to South Africa |author= Malcolm Libera |publisher= BusinessTech |date= 17 November 2025 |access-date= 14 April 2026 }}</ref> It is also responsible for issuing sanctions against financial institutions for noncompliance with applicable financial acts.<ref name= "PA Fines Discovery Bank R3m For FICA Compliance Failures">{{cite web|url= https://www.moonstone.co.za/pa-fines-discovery-bank-r3m-for-fica-compliance-failures/ |title= PA Fines Discovery Bank R3m For FICA Compliance Failures |author= |publisher= Moonstone |date= 10 November 2025 |access-date= 14 April 2026 }}</ref>

== Priorities ==

In its 2025 - 2030 Regulatory Strategy, the PA stated that it had the following six priorities:<ref name= "Prudential Authority Regulatory Strategy, 2025 - 2030">{{cite web|url= https://www.resbank.co.za/content/dam/sarb/what-we-do/prudential-regulation/pa-regulatory-strategy/PA%20Regulatory%20Strategy%202025-2030.pdf |title= Prudential Authority Regulatory Strategy, 2025 - 2030 |author= |publisher= The Prudential Authority |date= |access-date= 14 April 2026 }}</ref>

* Strengthening and enhancing the regulation and supervision of deposit-taking institutions, thereby assisting with maintaining the stability and integrity of the South African financial system * Implementing and enhancing the financial conglomerate regulatory and supervisory framework * Strengthening and enhancing the prudential regulation and supervision of market infrastructures * Strengthening and enhancing the regulatory and supervisory frameworks for insurers * Enhancing the supervision of and combating financial crime, such as money laundering * Developing and implementing approaches to the prudential regulation and supervision of retirement funds, collective investment schemes, friendly societies, and medical schemes

== Structure ==

The PA is headed by a Committee, comprising the Governor of the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) as chairperson, the PA's CEO (who is also a Deputy Governor of the SARB), and two other Deputy Governors of the SARB. The four heads of department (HoDs) of the PA, as well as the Head of the SARB's Financial Stability Department, are standing invitees to Prudential Committee meetings.<ref name= "Prudential Authority Regulatory Strategy, 2025 - 2030" />

== See also ==

* List of financial supervisory authorities by country * Banking in South Africa * Economy of South Africa

== External links ==

* [https://www.resbank.co.za/content/dam/sarb/what-we-do/prudential-regulation/pa-regulatory-strategy/PA%20Regulatory%20Strategy%202025-2030.pdf Prudential Authority Regulatory Strategy, 2025 - 2030] * [https://www.gov.za/documents/financial-sector-regulation-act-9-2017-english-sepedi-22-aug-2017-0000 ''The Financial Sector Regulation Act 09 of 2017'']

==References== {{reflist}}

Category:Financial regulation in South Africa Category:2018 establishments in South Africa Category:Organisations based in Pretoria