South Africans turning to loan sharks as cost of living crisis deepens

The unrelenting convergence of hikes in fuel, food, and municipal tariffs have transformed a temporary cost-of-living squeeze into a critical structural consumer debt crisis across South Africa, with more than half of the country’s population now spending over 40% of their take-home pay servicing debt, said Debt Rescue CEO, Neil Roets.  “The fact is, people are simply unable […]

Could the strengthening rand lead to a repo rate cut?

Consumers drowning Neil Roets, CEO of Debt Rescue, said that while the latest economic indicators suggest a glimmer of hope on the horizon, the harsh reality facing millions of South African consumers on the ground must be considered. “It is certainly welcome news that headline consumer inflation dropped to 4.3% in July 2026, and that […]