We take for granted simple things like credit card or other card transactions that are settled immediately. This requires a significant infrastructure, and the South African Reserve Bank ensures that the rules are applied.
At a regional level, we have played an important role in extending this infrastructure and expertise to a number of countries in sub-Saharan Africa, which in turn helps to facilitate intra-regional trade and promotes financial inclusion by helping communities access financial services. In some countries, central banks play a prominent role in the allocation of credit to various sectors.