People earning more than R50K a month spend most of their income repaying debt

Loading player...
South Africans who cannot get credit from banks or need money quickly are increasingly borrowing from retailers, microlenders and online lenders, according to new research.

The overall ratio of debt to annual net income is rising again and now stands at 126%.

For people earning more than R50,000 a month, debt repayments take up 97% of their take-home pay. Their debt-to-income ratio is 300%, down from a peak of 340% in Q3 2024, but still the highest of any income group.
12 Nov 12AM English South Africa News Commentary · Entertainment News

Other recent episodes

The 15 most mispronounced words in South Africa

Word Unscrambler is a tool that allows users to find words from scrambled letters. Word-finding experts at Word Unscrambler revealed the 15 words South Africans struggle to pronounce the most. According to Word Unscrambler, South Africa’s three most searched mispronounced words in 2026 were Porsche, Shein and Worcestershire sauce. Together,…
11 Nov 1AM 15 min

Rapper Drake releases remix of Ella Langley's 'Choosin' Texas'

Canadian rapper Drake has reimagined Ella Langley’s record-breaking hit ‘Choosin’ Texas’ in his new song ‘Solar Eclipse’. ‘Solar Eclipse’ slows down Langley’s hit and gives it a hip-hop- and R&B-inspired sound. While some of the lyrics stayed the same, Drake and Don Toliver, who is featured on the new song,…
10 Nov 1AM 2 min

"Peace requires justice": Judge Navi Pillay on her Nobel Peace Prize

Nobel Peace Prize winner Judge Navi Pillay joined Breakfast with Martin Bester to reflect on her lifelong fight for justice, the pressure on international law and why accountability, education and public action remain essential to protecting human rights. Judge Navi Pillay was “speechless” when she learned she had won the…
9 Nov 12AM 12 min