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Financial Sector Regulation Act, 2017 (Act No. 9 of 2017)

Chapter 1 : Interpretation, Object and Administration of Act

Part 1 : Interpretation

2. Financial products

 

(1) In this Act "financial product" means—
(a) a participatory interest in a collective investment scheme;
(b) a long-term policy as defined in section 1(1) of the Long-term Insurance Act or a life insurance policy as defined in section 1 of the Insurance Act;

[Section 2(1)(b) substituted by item 1(2)(a) of schedule 1 of Act No. 18 of 2017]

(c) a short-term policy as defined in section 1(1) of the Short-term Insurance Act or a non-life insurance policy as defined in section 1 of the Insurance Act;

[Section 2(1)(c) substituted by item 1(2)(b) of schedule 1 of Act No. 18 of 2017]

(d) a benefit provided by—
(i) a pension fund organisation, as defined in section 1(1) of the Pension Funds Act, to a member of the organisation by virtue of membership; or
(ii) a friendly society, as defined in section 1(1) of the Friendly Societies Act, to a member of the society by virtue of membership;
(e) a deposit as defined in section 1(1) of the Banks Act;
(f) a health service benefit provided by a medical scheme as defined in section 1(1) of the Medical Schemes Act;
(g) except for the purposes of Chapter 4 and section 106, the provision of credit provided in terms of a credit agreement regulated in terms of the National Credit Act;
(h) a warranty, guarantee or other credit support arrangement as provided for in a financial sector law;
(i) a facility or arrangement designated by Regulations for this section as a financial product; and
(j) a facility or arrangement that includes one or more of the financial products referred to in paragraphs (a) to (i).

 

(2) The Regulations may designate as a financial product any facility or  arrangement that is not regulated in terms of a specific financial sector law if—
(a) doing so will further the object of this Act set out in section 7; and
(b) the facility or arrangement is one through which, or through the acquisition of which, a person conducts one or more of the following activities:
(i) Lending;
(ii) making a financial investment; and
(iii) managing financial risk.

 

(3) For the purposes of subsection (2)(b)(ii), a person makes a financial investment when the person (the "investor")—
(a) gives a contribution, in money or money’s worth, to another person and any of the following apply:
(i) The other person uses the contribution to generate a financial return for the investor;
(ii) the investor intends that the other person will use the contribution to generate a financial return for the investor, even if no return, or a loss, is in fact generated;
(iii) the other person intends that the contribution be used to generate a financial return for the investor, even if no return, or a loss, is in fact generated;  and
(b) has no day-to-day control over the use of the contribution.

 

(4) For the purposes of subsection (2)(b)(iii), a person manages financial risk when the person—
(a) manages the financial consequences to the person of particular events or circumstances occurring or not occurring; or
(b) avoids or limits the financial consequences of fluctuations in, or in the value of, receipts or costs, including prices and interest rates.

 

(5) Regulations designating a financial product in terms of subsection (2) may specify the financial sector regulator that is the responsible authority for the designated product.