SOC 2 attestation in South Africa

SOC 2 attestation in South Africa at a glance

Software and services companies that sell from South Africa to US and international customers meet the same request in almost every security questionnaire: send us your SOC 2 report. SOC 2 is part of the AICPA's SOC suite of services, which CPAs provide in connection with the controls of a service organisation, so the report is an attestation issued by a licensed CPA firm, not a certificate. Local drivers point the same way. The FSCA and Prudential Authority's Joint Standard 2 of 2024 requires financial institutions to make sure information assets managed by third-party service providers receive commensurate protection, and POPIA requires responsible parties to make sure operators maintain security measures, so providers to banks, insurers and data-heavy businesses are asked for independent evidence. Sterling's Johannesburg office runs the readiness work: scoping the system, mapping controls to the trust services criteria, closing gaps and preparing evidence for the CPA firm's examination, with Effivity holding the evidence. The local route and questions follow.

Who needs SOC 2 in South Africa, and what happens without it

In South Africa the question rarely comes from a law. It comes from the buyer, the regulator or the partner that wants proof before it signs. These are the organisations that get asked.

• SaaS, cloud and IT providers selling to US and international customersInternational customers ask for a SOC 2 report as standard vendor assurance.
• Service providers to South African financial institutionsJoint Standard 2 of 2024 requires protection of information assets managed by third-party service providers.
• BPOs and operators processing personal information for clientsClients must ensure operators maintain security measures under POPIA.

SOC 2 requirements in South Africa

Strip away the vocabulary and SOC 2 asks a service organisation to report on six things about the controls behind its service.

In South Africa these six sit alongside the local laws and regulations listed under drivers below; one system can evidence both. The detail is on the global hub: SOC 2 explained →

How to get a SOC 2 report in South Africa

One team from the Johannesburg office carries the work from scoping to report. On-site from the Johannesburg (Sandown) office across Gauteng and, by arrangement, other provinces; remote delivery for distributed teams.

1. Discovery call and scopeEntities, locations, regulators and target date, agreed before any proposal.
2. Gap assessment against SOC 2 and the South African requirements that apply to youControls you already run for your regulators and customers are reused, not rebuilt.
3. Your system built with your team in EffivityRisks, controls, evidence, incidents and reviews in one live system the auditor can see.
4. Internal audit, management review and corrective actionsYour internal auditors trained by Sterling; the evidence proven before any external review.
5. The independent examination and reportA licensed CPA firm performs the examination and issues the report. Sterling supports the examination.

The Sterling Promise: 100% on-time completion, 100% success, 8,100+ client engagements.Sterling does not certify. Certification decisions stay with independent bodies.

• SOC 2 gap analysis
• SOC 2 implementation plan

How long does SOC 2 attestation take in South Africa?

There is no standard duration: it depends on your scope and on how much of the system already runs. In South Africa these are the factors that set the timeline.

• Type 1 versus Type 2 and the length of the observation period
• Number of trust services categories in scope
• Maturity of control evidence

Sterling agrees a dated plan with you on the discovery call, once the scope is known.

• What drives the SOC 2 timeline
• Scope and timeline estimator

How much does SOC 2 attestation cost in South Africa?

The cost has two parts: the consulting work to build and prove the system, and the CPA firm’s fees, which are quoted separately. In South Africa these factors move both.

• Number of trust services categories and systems in scope
• CPA firm fees quoted separately from consulting
• Tooling for evidence collection

Sterling gives one customised, all-inclusive proposal after the discovery call, never before the scope is agreed.

• What makes up the cost of SOC 2

SOC 2 consultants and auditors in South Africa

Two different organisations are involved. A consultant helps you build the system and prove it works; a licensed CPA firm then audits or assesses it and decides. Keeping the two separate is what makes the result credible to buyers and regulators.

• Check that the body’s accreditation or approval covers SOC 2 and your sector, and that its certificates can be verified online.
• Ask the consultant how the local requirements in South Africa are mapped into the same system, so nothing runs twice.
• Ask for client references in your sector; Sterling’s client letters are available on request.
• Agree who owns the evidence and the tool after the engagement; with Sterling the system stays yours, in Effivity.

SOC 2 in South Africa: questions clients ask

More on SOC 2 for South African organisations

• SOC 2: the complete guide
• Watch: How to implement SOC 2
• Accounting and professional services: SOC 2 for the sector
• BPO and shared services: SOC 2 for the sector
• Fintech and payments: SOC 2 for the sector
• Healthcare IT and health BPO: SOC 2 for the sector
• HR, payroll and staffing: SOC 2 for the sector
• MSPs and data centres: SOC 2 for the sector
• SaaS and technology: SOC 2 for the sector
• Sterling in Johannesburg
• SOC 2 attestation in South Africa and every other standard Sterling delivers there

Other standards South African businesses ask Sterling for

Organisations in South Africa often combine SOC 2 with one of these, under one management system where the scopes allow.

All 21 standards Sterling delivers in South Africa →