The regulatory nexus between the promotion of financial education and financial inclusion in enhancing consumer protection in South Africa

Abstract

This paper seeks to share some insights on the regulatory aspects of the promotion of financial education and financial inclusion to enhance consumer protection in South Africa. In recent years, policymakers in different countries, including South Africa, have made various efforts to regulate financial inclusion and integrate financial consumers into the financial sector. Similarly, policymakers and other relevant stakeholders have made efforts to promote financial education to empower financial consumers to make sound financial choices and decisions. Notwithstanding these efforts, the promotion of financial education and financial inclusion has been done in isolation, overlooking the policy synergies between these objectives and/or financial sector outcomes in enhancing consumer protection in South Africa. Given the recent COVID- 19 pandemic, both financial education and financial inclusion have become increasingly important policy considerations to negotiate the chasm from the challenges that financial consumers faced before the pandemic and move towards safeguarding the economic interests of financial consumers post-pandemic. Accordingly, this paper explores the interrelationship between the effective promotion of financial education and financial inclusion to enhance consumer protection. Moreover, this paper examines the adequacy of the regulation of financial education and financial inclusion under the National Credit Act 34 of 2005 (NCA); the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 (CPA), the Financial Sector Regulation Act 9 of 2017 (FSR Act) and the proposed Conduct of Financial Institutions Bill (CoFI Bill) in relation to strengthening consumer protection. Put differently, this article focuses on the regulatory nexus of the promotion of financial education and financial inclusion to enhance consumer protection in South Africa. In the end, this article will provide some recommendations and enforcement approaches that could be incorporated into the regulatory framework of the promotion of financial education and financial inclusion to enhance consumer protection in South Africa.