Debt pressure shifts up the income ladder despite rate relief
DebtBusters data shows repayments still swallow most take-home pay, with pressure shifting upwards to higher earners and credit thinning out for lower-income households.
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NCR signals tougher affordability enforcement as vehicle finance risks mount
Lenders and dealers should dig deeper into living costs, dependants, and insurance obligations to avoid stretching consumers beyond their means.
Two-pot withdrawals surge as repeat claims reshape savings behaviour
Withdrawal activity has spiked again at the start of the new tax year, with data showing repeat claims are becoming entrenched and raising concerns about long-term retirement outcomes.
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.
SARB ramps up 3% inflation goal – Godongwana insists on due process
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.
Surge in unregulated buy-now-pay-later raises affordability concerns
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.
Debt crisis deepens: South Africans using up to 75% of income to repay debt
DebtBusters’ Q4 2024 Debt Index reveals a worsening cash flow crunch, with rising reliance on short-term loans and record-high debt service ratios.
