On 13 February 2025, South Africa issued its first court order under Section 23 of the Protection of Constitutional Democracy Against Terrorist and Related Activities Act (POCDATARA), marking a significant milestone in the nation’s fight against terrorist financing. The order, issued by the South Gauteng High Court on 11 February 2025, targets two individuals and two entities suspected of involvement in terrorism-related activities.
The individuals named in the order are Abdirizak Mohamed Abdi Jimale and Bashir Abdi Hassan, while the entities are Almisbaax Pty Ltd (previously known as Heeryo Trading Enterprise Pty Ltd), registered in South Africa, and Heeryo Trading Enterprise, registered in Somalia. The court found reasonable grounds to believe that the designated persons had “committed, participated in, or facilitated” acts of terrorism as defined under the POCDATARA Act.
This court order enforces the immediate freezing of all terrorist-related property held by these designated persons. Institutions accountable under the Financial Intelligence Centre Act, 2001 (FIC Act) are now required to freeze such assets and report compliance with terrorist property reporting requirements under Section 28A of the FIC Act.
The Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC), responsible for safeguarding the integrity of South Africa’s financial system, played a critical role in supporting this court action. Under its mandate, the FIC collects and analyzes financial intelligence to combat money laundering, terrorist financing, and the misuse of the financial system for criminal activities.
This enforcement follows the 2022 amendment of the POCDATARA Act, which enhanced South Africa’s legal framework for countering terrorism and its financing. The issuance of this court order underscores the government’s intensified efforts to combat financial crimes that threaten national and global security.
For more information, the Financial Intelligence Centre has directed stakeholders to its targeted financial sanctions page and continues to monitor compliance with anti-terrorism laws to ensure public safety and financial system integrity.
