Overview 

Beneficial ownership compliance has become a critical governance and regulatory requirement for companies, close corporations and trusts in South Africa. Recent legislative reforms, coupled with enhanced anti-money laundering measures and regulatory oversight, have placed increased obligations on entities to identify, record and disclose the natural persons who ultimately own, control or benefit from their structures. 

Failure to maintain accurate beneficial ownership records and comply with filing requirements can result in administrative penalties, filing restrictions, regulatory scrutiny and reputational risk. This webinar will provide attendees with a practical update on the latest beneficial ownership and trust compliance requirements, including CIPC filing obligations, Master of the High Court reporting requirements, and the implications for directors, trustees, accountants, compliance officers and legal practitioners. 

Join Adv Dwight Snyman on 23 July 2026 from 13:00 p.m to 14:30 p.m as he unpacks the evolving beneficial ownership framework, explores common compliance challenges, and provides practical guidance for maintaining compliant company and trust structures. 

Learning Objectives 

Attending this webinar will equip you with the following skills: 

• Understand the current beneficial ownership compliance framework applicable to companies, close corporations and trusts in South Africa. 

• Identify and analyse beneficial owners within complex ownership and control structures. 

• Apply the practical filing requirements of the CIPC and the Master of the High Court. 

• Recognise the risks, consequences and regulatory implications of non-compliance. 

• Implement effective recordkeeping, governance and compliance processes for ongoing beneficial ownership management. 

Content 

The webinar will cover the following topics: 

• Regulatory Framework for Beneficial Ownership Compliance 

o Financial Intelligence Centre Act (FICA) compliance context 
o Companies Act and beneficial ownership amendments 
o Trust Property Control Act amendments 
o FATF greylisting remediation measures and anti-money laundering obligations 

• Beneficial Ownership Concepts and Definitions 

o Beneficial owner versus registered owner 
o Ultimate beneficial ownership and effective control 
o Direct and indirect ownership structures 
o Natural-person look-through principle 
o Nominee arrangements and layered ownership structures 

• Company and Close Corporation Beneficial Ownership Obligations 

o CIPC beneficial ownership declaration requirements 
o Securities and beneficial interest register compliance 
o Annual return filing integration and CIPC hard-stop functionality 
o Director responsibilities and recordkeeping obligations 

• Trust Beneficial Ownership Compliance 

o Master's Office beneficial ownership register requirements 
o Identification of founders, trustees and beneficiaries 
o Effective control considerations in trust structures 
o Trustee compliance and recordkeeping obligations 

• Ownership Structures and Look-Through Analysis 

o Trust-held shareholding structures 
o Corporate shareholders and group company structures 
o Foreign shareholders and beneficial owners 
o Ultimate natural-person identification and control analysis 

• Filing, Updating and Verification Procedures 

o Initial filing and annual confirmation requirements 
o Event-driven update obligations 
o Documentary evidence and verification requirements 
o Alignment of statutory records and regulatory filings 

• Compliance Risk and Enforcement 

o Annual return blockage and filing rejections 
o Deregistration and administrative penalties 
o Director and trustee liability 
o Reputational, regulatory and transactional risks 

• Professional Adviser Duties and Practical Implementation 

o Roles of accountants, attorneys, auditors and company secretaries 

o Beneficial ownership questionnaires and compliance checklists 

o Governance procedures and document retention protocols 

o Practical workflows for ongoing compliance management 

About the presenter 

Adv. Dwight Snyman 

Adv. Dwight Snyman is an admitted member of the Johannesburg Society of Advocates and is accredited by the Legal Practitioners Council as an Advocate of the High Court of South Africa. Adv. Snyman completed articles of clerkship, and attorney’s competency exams under the auspices of the Wits Law Clinic. He completed his Advocacy pupillage under the tutelage of the esteemed Adv. Louis Du Bruyn. 

Adv. Snyman has had opportunity and success in litigation, in the High and Magistrates’ Courts of the republic, the CCMA, Disciplinary Hearings and assorted other venues and forums, and has become possessed of practical litigation experience beyond what would normally be expected from a practitioner of his age and seniority. He is the holder of a degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE) from the University of Cape Town, and postgraduate Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of the Witwatersrand, for which he was accorded the honour of being on the Dean’s list for his academic performance. 

Who should attend? 

The following persons will benefit from attending this webinar: 

• Attorneys. 

• Corporate Legal Professionals. 

• Legal Academics. 

• Candidate attorneys. 

• Law Students. 

• Paralegals. 

Price 

• R 400.00 - Online admission - Individual.  

• Group Price 1 - From R337 per person (up to 5 users)   

• Group Price 2 - From R260 per person (up to 10 users)   

• Group Price 3 - From R224 per person (over 11 users)  

Steps to register for the event:  

If you already have a profile, login and register for the webinar. 

If you don’t have a profile, create a free profile then login and register for the webinar. 

Click here  to create a free profile (There is no charge to create a profile and gain access to our free Monthly Practice Management Series). 

Click here  to find out about the Technical Resource Centre & CPD Subscription options. 

Additional material 

By attending this webinar you will be provided with: 

• A summarised slide presentation. 

• Reference documents and/ or course material where available. 

• You can ask questions during the webinar and you will also have access to the presenter after the webinar. 

About SA Legal Academy 

Welcome to SA Legal Academy (SALA), a provider of courses to help you succeed in your chosen career. We are committed to providing our students with the highest quality training and support, to ensure that your skills and knowledge are up to date and ready to face the challenges of the modern workplace. Our courses are designed to ensure that you reach your professional goals and enhance your career prospects. With our experienced training staff and comprehensive resources, you can be confident that you will receive the highest quality of training from SA Legal Academy. 

SALA is a Level 2 B-BBEE contributor, with 125% procurement recognition. Training spend on certain solutions can be allocated against the Skills Development element of the B-BBEE Scorecard through accredited and nonaccredited training or claimed through SETA grants. In addition, 25% of your Skills Expenditure can be claimed on non-accredited training or courses. 

Corporate Training Solutions 

At SALA, we recognise the evolving needs of businesses in today's dynamic environment. Beyond our standard webinar offerings, we provide tailored corporate training solutions designed to empower your team with the latest in legal and professional skills. Whether you're looking for online sessions or face-to-face training, our programs are crafted to ensure a comprehensive and engaging learning experience. 

Drawing inspiration from modern training methodologies, our corporate solutions are interactive, adaptable, and focused on real-world applications. We prioritize hands-on learning, ensuring your team can immediately apply their newfound knowledge in practical scenarios. 

Interested in a bespoke corporate training experience? Reach out to us at [email protected] or call 012 941 0448. Together, let's design a training program that elevates your team's capabilities and aligns with your organizational goals. 

Contact Us For More Information 

Have any questions or need any assistance? Contact us today!  

• Online chat through our website.  

• Phone: +27 (0) 12 941 0448  

• E-mail: [email protected]