
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.

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.

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

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

Even as inflation eases, high interest rates continue to erode incomes, forcing many South Africans to rely on loans to get by.