Brief
Debt‑review checks in South Africa nearly double and half show active listings
The September SAFPI shows a sharp rise in consumers seeking debt‑review status checks, with almost half found on the regulator’s register.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Debt Solutions 4 U, an NCR‑registered debt‑counselling practice, reported that the number of South Africans requesting debt‑review status checks almost tripled between July and September 2026, and that 46.8% of the 2,629 checks performed in the quarter revealed an active listing on the National Credit Regulator’s register.
What happened
The practice examined 434 consumers in July, 991 in August and 1,204 in September. Across the three months, 1,230 checks (46.8%) returned an active debt‑review listing. The monthly share of active listings was relatively stable: 44.7% in July, 47.1% in August and 47.3% in September.
What the reports add
Before each check, respondents were asked what they believed their debt‑review status to be. Of the 1,857 who answered, 960 (51.7%) were unsure. Among the 897 who gave a definite answer, 219 (24.4%) were incorrect, indicating a gap between perception and reality.
What was said
"People assume they would know if they were under debt review," said Rowan Breeds, lead debt counsellor at Debt Solutions 4 U. "One in four of the people who told us they were certain had it wrong. Many settled their accounts years ago and never received a clearance certificate. Others had a counsellor withdraw and thought that was the end of it, or agreed to something on a phone call without understanding what it was."
How it came about
The findings are part of the September reading of the South African Financial Pressure Index (SAFPI). The index shows that applicants on average devote R58 of every R100 of net monthly income to unsecured debt, a figure that has held steady across the three months to 30 September 2026 (58.0% in September, 58.4% in August). The data were collected just five days after the South African Reserve Bank’s latest repo‑rate increase to 7.25% and prime rate to 10.75%.
Related context
Earlier this month, the National Consumer Tribunal fined a debt counsellor R1 million and ordered deregistration after finding 216 consumers had been placed under debt review without consent, underscoring regulatory scrutiny of the process.
Key facts
- Debt‑review status checks rose from 434 in July to 1,204 in September 2026. (bizcommunity.com)
- 46.8% of the 2,629 checks performed in the quarter found an active listing. (bizcommunity.com)
- 51.7% of respondents were unsure of their debt‑review status before the check. (bizcommunity.com)
- Median debt‑to‑income ratio for applicants was R58 of every R100 of net income. (bizcommunity.com)
- South African Reserve Bank’s repo rate was 7.25% and prime rate 10.75% as of 30 September 2026. (bizcommunity.com)
Sources
- [1] bizcommunity.com — originally reported as “Debt review status checks almost tripled in three months, and nearly half found a listing - Debt Solutions 4 U”
