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Co-operative Banks Act, 2007 (Act No. 40 of 2007)

Chapter VIIA : Co-Operative Financial Institutions

40B. Requirements for registration

 

(1) In order to qualify for registration, or to continue to be registered, a co-operative financial institution must demonstrate, to the satisfaction of Authority, or to the Agency if this function has been assigned or delegated to the Agency, on an ongoing basis that—
(a) it has the requisite experience, knowledge, qualifications and competence to give effect to its obligations;
(b) it has sufficient human, financial, and operational capacity to function efficiently and competently;
(c) it meets any prescribed threshold requirements in respect of membership, membership shares and deposits held; and
(d) it meets any other applicable prescribed requirements.

 

(2)
(a) A co-operative financial institution must, once it has reached a prescribed amount of members’ deposits, apply for registration as a co-operative bank in terms of this Act.
(b) If the responsibility for the registration of a co-operative financial institution has been assigned or delegated to the Agency, the Agency must recommend to the Authority whether the application for registration as a co-operative bank should be approved or declined.
(c) In the event that the application by a co-operative financial institution to register as a co-operative bank is declined—
(i) the Authority may determine that the co-operative financial institution concerned may not hold members’ deposits exceeding a specified amount; and
(ii) the co-operative financial institution concerned must re-apply for registration as a co-operative bank once the requirements to register as a cooperative bank have been met.
(d) An amount determined by the Authority in terms of paragraph (c)(i)—
(i) must be based on the nature and size of the co-operative financial institution; and
(ii) may not exceed the general maximum limit for holdings of deposits by any co-operative financial institution prescribed by the Authority.
(e) An application by a co-operative financial institution for registration as a co-operative bank must be accompanied by a letter of recommendation from the Agency, if applicable.

 

(3) On the date that this section comes into operation, a co-operative financial institution that qualifies to be registered in terms of this Act—
(a) must apply for registration in terms of this Act within 12 months from the date on which this section comes into operation; and
(b) that holds members’ deposits exceeding a prescribed threshold, but which does not qualify to be registered as a co-operative bank, must not hold members’ deposits exceeding an amount determined by the Authority, based on the nature and size of the co-operative financial institution.

 

(4) If the registration of co-operative financial institutions has been assigned or delegated to the Agency in terms of the Act, the Agency must inform the Authority of the registration of a cooperative financial institution within 14 days of the registration.

 

[Section 40B inserted by section 290, item 7 in Schedule 4, of Act No. 9 of 2017 - effective 1 October 2018 (paragraph (h) of Notice 169 of 2018)]