South Africa has made good progress in developing its system for combating money laundering (ML) and the financing of terrorism (FT) since its last FATF mutual evaluation in 2003, according to an assessment of the implementation of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CFT) standards in South Africa. This assessment was jointly conducted by the FATF and the Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG).

South Africa held the Presidency of the 17th Plenary year of the FATF, during which strengthening the global network to combat money laundering and terrorist financing was a priority.

Among the outcomes of the FATF Plenary year 2002-2003 were the completion of the review of the Forty Recommendations and the admission of South Africa and the Russian Federation as full members of the FATF.