Africa-Press – Eswatini. A total of 87 banks from across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) processed 152 660 transactions worth E218.56 billion in August 2025 through the SADC Real Time Gross Settlement System (SADC-RTGS).
This was revealed on the first day of the SADC-RTGS User Group Conference, currently at the Central Bank of Eswatini Headquarters in Ezulwini, under the theme “Embracing New Frontiers in the SADC-RTGS Community.”
The SADC-RTGS is a cross border payment platform that enables high value, same day transactions between financial institutions. Operated by the South African Reserve Bank on behalf of the region’s central banks, the system plays a key role in promoting financial integration and trade across the 15 SADC member states.
Presenting the latest figures, Sabelo Gama noted the scale of the system’s performance: “Over the past month, the system processed 218 billion worth of transactions. That should give you a clear picture of the level of activity we are handling.”
He explained that discussions at the two day conference would focus on new innovations, including the introduction of multi currency processing to accommodate currencies such as the US dollar and those of individual SADC states. Other key areas include modernization of the platform, cybersecurity to protect members’ funds, and the migration to the new international payment messaging standard ISO 2022, set for completion in November 2025.
According to Gama, the RTGS has settled over 5.4 million transactions to date, representing a total value of ZAR 17.56 trillion. Peak monthly volume was recorded in October 2024 with 183 013 transactions, while the highest monthly value of ZAR 260.52 billion was reached in January 2025.
During the question and answer session, some sought clarity on operational readiness for multi currency transactions and on how cybersecurity measures will be strengthened. Gama assured participants that the system’s upgrades are designed to safeguard public trust while positioning SADC at the forefront of regional payment innovation.
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