South Africa's National Credit Regulator (NCR) issued Circular 02 of 2026 reminding registered credit providers of their obligation under section 63 of the National Credit Act to make required documents available to consumers in an official language they can read or understand. As a condition of registration, credit providers must submit a language policy proposal to the NCR setting out the languages in which mandated documents will be provided, ensuring accessibility in at least two official languages. Registered banks, insurance companies, and credit providers in categories 1 to 4 must submit their language policy proposals within five months from the date of acceptance of the proposed conditions of registration, while credit providers in categories 5 to 9 have twelve months. Proposals are expected to cover, among other items, pre-agreement disclosures (including cost of credit information), credit agreements, and enforcement notices, and must also address how call centre and branch staff will accommodate multiple languages; policies may use the same official language nationwide or vary by region. The NCR will either approve the proposal or require a fresh proposal where it concludes the submission does not adequately provide for the “maximum practicable enjoyment”, and approval letters will flag a second-year review of implementation, including how consumer language preferences are accommodated, alongside a requirement to provide a website address or alternative details through which consumers can obtain a copy of the language proposal.
National Credit Regulator 2026-04-18
South Africa's National Credit Regulator requires registered credit providers to submit language policy proposals and sets five and twelve month deadlines
The National Credit Regulator issued Circular 02 of 2026 reminding registered credit providers of their obligation under section 63 of the National Credit Act to provide required documents in an official language consumers can understand. As a registration condition, providers must submit a language policy specifying at least two official languages for key documents and customer interactions, which the regulator will approve or return for revision. Approved policies will undergo a second-year implementation review, including how consumer language preferences are accommodated and how consumers can access the policy.