In a statement on Friday, the department clarified that there were no such non-profit organisations under investigation.

“The Department of Social Development has noted attributed statements in recent media reports that 50 South African NGOs are being probed for terror funding and money laundering. The department would like to put it on record that there are no such NPOs,” the statement read.

The department said that it convened a symposium with NPOs and other stakeholders to make the NPO community aware of South Africa’s obligations with regard to the implementation of anti-money laundering and the counter terror financing measures.

The aim of the symposium was to strengthen consultation mechanisms between government and NPOs. It focused on deficiencies in SA’s measures to protect NPOs from exploitation to fund terrorist organisations as identified in the 2021 FATF Mutual Evaluation.

The FATF reiterated its findings relating to these deficiencies in its 2024 Mutual Evaluation Follow Up Report on South Africa. This is available at here.

Delegates were informed about the recently launched NPO TF Risk Assessment that was undertaken to assess the nature of potential threats and inherent vulnerabilities that may potentially put NPOs in South Africa at risk of terror financing abuse, which can be found here.

“However, at no point during the symposium were any allegations made that NPOs in South Africa are implicated in terrorist financing or money laundering, or that the South African authorities are investigating any NPOs for involvement in these activities,” the department said.