Non-profit professional body the Compliance Institute Southern Africa (CISA) has released is Anti-Money Laundering Practice Guide as a way of intensifying efforts to strengthen financial crime controls and demonstrate effectiveness in meeting Financial Action Task Force (FATF) standards.

The guide was launched through a hybrid event in Durban on June 18 and at an in-person event in Cape Town on June 19, bringing together industry leaders to share insights on implementation challenges and best practice approaches.

The publication of the Practice Guide has been released amid a backdrop of heightened regulatory scrutiny and a continued focus on grey-listing outcomes.

CISA highlights that it provides a timely and practical resource to support accountable institutions in building robust, defensible, and effective anti-money laundering, counter-terrorist financing, and sanction frameworks.

Previously, South Africa was officially removed from the FATF grey list in October, 2025, signalling the country’s progress in addressing the structural deficiencies in its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing.

The organisation adds that the guide is designed to enable demonstrable effectiveness, which is viewed as increasingly critical in global anti-money laundering assessments.

This resource forms part of CISA’s Generally Accepted Compliance Practice, or GACP, framework and has been developed to strengthen governance, risk management, regulatory alignment, and operational execution across the compliance ecosystem.

CISA explain that it also bridges the gap between regulation and implementation, thereby equipping practitioners with the tools and methodologies required to respond to financial crime risks.

The organisation adds that the release of the guide is particularly significant in supporting regional efforts to strengthen anti-money laundering frameworks and contribute to improved risk ratings, enhanced supervisory confidence, and sustained removal from, or avoidance of, the FATF grey listing.

“This guide delivers practical, outcomes-focused guidance at a time when institutions must demonstrate that their anti-money laundering programmes are not only compliant, but effective in detecting and preventing financial crime. Strengthening these capabilities is essential not only for individual organisations, but for the integrity and reputation of our financial system as a whole,” says CISA CEO Sherma Malan.

By promoting consistent and high-quality compliance practices, Malan concludes that the guide supports a more resilient and credible financial environment across Southern Africa.