
Interest rate relief offers breathing space, not a turnaround in household finances
Despite easing inflation and lower borrowing costs, South Africans entering debt counselling use 71% of take-home pay to service debt, according to DebtBusters.

Despite easing inflation and lower borrowing costs, South Africans entering debt counselling use 71% of take-home pay to service debt, according to DebtBusters.

The Reserve Bank’s repo rate cut by 25bps to 7% signals the start of a more accommodative cycle as inflation remains firmly under control.

Credit expansion is coming almost entirely from the deeper use of cards and personal loans by current credit-active consumers, rather than fresh market entrants, says RCS.

DebtBusters’ Q4 2024 Debt Index reveals a worsening cash flow crunch, with rising reliance on short-term loans and record-high debt service ratios.