Following an appeal from Brakpan SAPS for residents to be on the lookout for counterfeit money, the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has shared information to spread awareness of banknote security features.
Brakpan Herald published the appeal in its March 3 edition after the local police noted a spike in the circulation of fake cash in the area.
Brakpan SAPS communications officer Constable Audrey Buthelezi said to the Herald at the time that several businesses reported false currency to police within a short space of time.
It is the responsibility of the SARB to ensure and maintain the integrity of banknotes and coins in circulation.
The SARB has to ensure that banknotes and coins remain a secure method of payment, the unit of account and the store of wealth.
Banknotes and coins derive their value from the trust that citizens have in that country’s currency. Be aware of the security features incorporated in banknotes to identify counterfeit notes.
When inspecting banknotes, the ‘Look, Feel, and Tilt’-method should be adopted.
• Look: By holding a banknote to the light, observe these features:
Security thread: this is the shiny strip on the front of the banknote, which becomes a continuous solid line when held to the light.
The words SARB, Rand, the denomination and the South African coat of arms should be visible.
Watermark: This is an embedded image of Nelson Mandela to the left of the front of the banknote and the denomination numeral.
• Feel: By lightly running your fingertips over the banknote, observe the following features:
Raised print: On the front of the banknote, the portrait of Nelson Mandela and the words SOUTH AFRICAN RESERVE BANK will feel slightly raised or rough.
Visual aid feature: The raised lines on the bottom left and right of the front of the banknote are aids for the visually impaired.
The R10 has one line, the R20 two lines, the R50 three lines, the R100 four lines and the R200 five lines.
• Tilt: By tilting a banknote, observe these features:
Security thread: The metallic thread will reflect light and exhibit a slight colour shift. Colour-changing ink: they printed the numerals on the bottom right of the banknote with colour-changing ink.
The R10 and R20 banknotes exhibit a slight colour shift, whereas the R50, R100 and R200 banknotes appear to have a moving line.
If you suspect that you have a counterfeit note, take note of the following: In terms of Section 14 of the SARB Act, only the SARB has the right to issue banknotes and coins in South Africa.
Any reproduction of banknote images, even for artistic or advertising uses, is forbidden. Counterfeit currencies are imitation notes or coins produced without the legal sanction of the SARB.
Counterfeiting currency and the possession thereof are crimes. By law, counterfeit notes found in circulation cannot be exchanged for cash, as they have no value.
The SARB, SAPS and commercial banks work together to combat the counterfeiting of banknotes and coins.
Members of the public who come into possession of counterfeit banknotes and coins must immediately report it to their nearest police station.
