Call for proposals: innovative foreign currency financing solutions for 2025/26
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
Department of National Treasury
Issuer code: BIRSA
("National Treasury")
CALL FOR PROPOSALS: INNOVATIVE FOREIGN CURRENCY FINANCING SOLUTIONS FOR 2025/26
1. Background
The Republic of South Africa, through the National Treasury, is seeking to supplement its
foreign currency borrowing programme for the 2025/26 fiscal year by exploring innovative and cost-
effective financing mechanisms and hereby invites eligible market participants to submit proposals
for such solutions.
2. Objective
This funding initiative aims to:
• diversify the sovereign's hard currency funding toolkit beyond a traditional Eurobond;
• reduce execution risk and minimise the all-in cost of funds; and
• maintain flexibility for future liability management actions aligned with evolving market
conditions.
3. Target size and currency
Proposals should raise, on a stand-alone or combined basis, a minimum amount of
US$500 million. If funding is offered in another hard currency, the counterparty must commit to
swapping the proceeds into US dollars at closing.
4. Eligible counterparties
Responses are invited from:
• primary dealers in South African government securities;
• internationally active arranging banks;
• multilateral institutions;
• institutional investors; and
• other regulated financial entities with capacity to fund at scale, either directly or through an
arranging bank.
5. Acceptable instruments and structures
The National Treasury will consider a range of instruments, including but not limited to:
• bilateral term loans;
• private placements of floating rate notes;
• repurchase agreements against sovereign collateral;
• cross-currency or total return swaps with funding legs in US dollars; and
• other structured note formats.
Proposals incorporating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) or sustainability-linked
features are encouraged, particularly if aligned with the National Treasury's ESG framework.
6. Evaluation criteria
Proposals will be assessed on the basis of:
• overall cost of funds (spread over the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) or
equivalent benchmark);
• speed and certainty of execution;
• compatibility with the sovereign's maturity profile and debt service peaks;
• operational simplicity; and
• resilience to market shocks, including currency volatility and rate spikes.
7. Submission requirements
Please submit a PDF term sheet including:
• proposed amount, tenor, pricing and indicative spread;
• settlement date;
• key covenants or conditions precedent;
• collateral requirements (if any);
• governing law and documentation platform; and
• any relevant ESG characteristics.
8. Indicative timeline
• Proposal deadline: 12:00 South African Standard Time (SAST), Wednesday, 6 August 2025.
• Evaluation window: Thursday, 7 August 2025 – Friday, 29 August 2025.
9. Compliance and confidentiality
This request contains no material, non-public information and may be shared with public-side
desks. All proposals and follow-up discussions will be treated confidentially and will comply with
all applicable South African public finance regulations.
10. Submission channel and contacts
Please email proposals to: debtissuanceandmanagement@treasury.gov.za
Enquiries may be directed to:
• Terry Bomela Msomi
Director: Treasury Funding
Tel: +27 12 315 5135
• Wanga Cibi
Chief Director: Liability Management
Tel: +27 12 315 5132
Disclaimer: This document is an invitation for proposals. It does not constitute an offer or a
commitment to borrow. The Government of the Republic of South Africa reserves the right, at its
sole discretion, to accept or reject any proposal, to negotiate with any respondent, or to terminate
the process at any stage without incurring liability.
Issued by National Treasury
Pretoria
23 July 2025
Debt Sponsor
One Capital
Date: 23-07-2025 09:10:00
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