GZ & Co. is warning company directors and close corporation members to take the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) compliance drive seriously. In 2025 alone, over 500 000 companies were placed in deregistration for failing to meet their obligations.
The Two Requirements
- Annual Returns — must be filed with CIPC every year within 30 business days of the company’s registration anniversary.
- Beneficial Ownership (BO) Declarations — must be filed and kept up to date; CIPC will not accept an Annual Return unless the latest BO Declaration is in place.
The Consequence of Non-Compliance
Companies that fail to file face deregistration, which strips the entity of its legal standing. A deregistered company cannot trade, contract or operate bank accounts, and its assets may pass to the state.
What You Should Do
- Confirm your Annual Returns are up to date.
- File or update your Beneficial Ownership Declaration without delay.
- If your company has already been flagged, act quickly to reinstate it.
Source: CIPC, “Deregistration due to non-compliance with Annual Returns and Beneficial Ownership” (cipc.co.za).
If you need assistance understanding how these developments affect you or your business, GZ & Co. is here to assist.
