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News, Directory, Events and Other Stuff
Thursday, 12 November 2026: Eskom is hosting Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and electricity sector stakeholders at its 4th Annual IPP Conference on 12–13 November 2026 at the Franklin Auditorium, Megawatt Park, Sunninghill. The aim is to optimise grid connection and find practical solutions to bring more generation onto South Africa’s electricity grid. The conference is...
Tuesday, 10 November 2026: Koeberg Nuclear Power Station’s Unit 2 has successfully passed the Integrated Leak Rate Test, confirming the structural integrity and leak-tightness of the containment building, one of the station’s most critical nuclear safety barriers designed to prevent the uncontrolled release of radioactive material in the highly unlikely event of a nuclear accident....
Friday, 06 November 2026: Eskom continues to sustain the gains delivered through its Generation Recovery Plan, with the financial year-to-date Energy Availability Factor (EAF) reaching 68.16% and approximately 6 481MW of generation capacity recovered compared with three years ago. The sustained improvement in generation performance has strengthened the power system, enabling Eskom to shift from...
South Africa’s new vehicle market recorded 61 890 sales in October, 10,4% more than the 56 051 sold in October 2025, according to naamsa | the Automotive Business Council. Despite having one fewer working day than in October 2025, the market’s daily selling rate was approximately 15% higher year-on-year. “October last year was already one …
Saturday, 31 October 2026: Eskom confirms that Calib Cassim will retire as Group Chief Financial Officer (GCFO) today, 31 October 2026, as announced on SENS on 1 October 2025, concluding 24 years of service to Eskom. To ensure a smooth transition, Mr Cassim will continue to serve in an acting GCFO capacity until the appointment of his...
Friday, 30 October 2026: The delivery of Eskom’s Generation Recovery Plan by its workforce remains the key driver of the sustained improvement in generation performance. Through the recovery of generation capacity and improved reliability of the fleet, the plan has strengthened the power system and enabled Eskom to shift its focus from recovery to sustaining...
Friday, 30 October 2026: Following the completion of the legal assessment, diesel reconciliation and verification processes arising from the investigation into diesel procurement and storage contracts under Tender MWP2197GX, Eskom pledged in its public statement of Thursday 27 August 2026 – Independent investigation confirms all diesel accounted for; identifies governance shortcomings – to address the...
Friday, 23 October 2026: Eskom continues to sustain improvements in generation performance, with the financial year-to-date Energy Availability Factor (EAF) at 68.1%, supporting a progressive shift from recovery to reliability and sustainability. Compared with three years ago, improved generation performance represents approximately 6 424MW of additional available generation capacity. This stronger performance has reduced reliance...
Friday, 16 October 2026: Eskom continues to strengthen South Africa’s energy security, with its financial year-to-date Energy Availability Factor (EAF) reaching 68.2%, its highest level in six years. Compared with three years ago, the EAF has improved by 12.8%, returning approximately 6 536MW of generation capacity to the grid. Improved generation performance has significantly reduced...
South African consumers reported improved optimism in their household finances during the third quarter. While concerns about inflation remain widespread, findings from TransUnion’s Q3 2026 South Africa Consumer Pulse Study suggest consumers are becoming more deliberate in how they borrow, spend and manage their money.
Household financial performance strengthened and income expectations remained positive. At the same time, South Africans continue to face ongoing economic pressures, indicating that consumers are balancing improving financial sentiment with careful financial decision making.
Half (50%) of South Africans said their household finances were better than planned at this point in 2026, up from 43% in Q2 2026. Meanwhile, the proportion of consumers who said their finances were worse than planned fell to 34%, down from 38% one year ago. Financial optimism also improved with 73% of consumers expressing optimism about their household finances in the next 12 months, compared with 68% a year ago.
Improvements in reported household finances and future income expectations were accompanied by positive income trends. More than four in ten consumers (41%) reported an increase in household income over the last three months, while only 16% experienced a decline. Looking ahead, nearly eight in ten consumers (79%) expect their income to increase over the coming year, up from 75% a year ago.
According to Ayesha Hatea, director of research and consulting at TransUnion Africa, the findings indicate that consumers are reporting stronger household financial outlooks and income expectations, while remaining mindful of ongoing economic pressures.
“What stands out this quarter is that consumers appear to be taking a more considered approach to managing their finances. The findings indicate that consumers are paying close attention to their household budgets, inflation, borrowing costs and spending habits. While many report improved household finances and income expectations, affordability and cost-of-living concerns remain an important consideration.”
Despite improved financial sentiment, South Africans remain acutely aware of ongoing cost-of-living pressures. Almost all respondents (97%) said they remain concerned about inflation, while 79% ranked inflation for everyday goods among the top three concerns affecting their household finances for the next six months. Although more consumers now feel their income is keeping pace with inflation, the cost of living continues to place pressure on household budgets.
The study found that 43% of consumers plan to apply for new credit or refinance existing products over the next year, up from 38% a year ago, while 58% believe they would be approved if they needed access to credit, up from 49% a year ago. Perception of access to credit has improved, with 51% saying they have sufficient access to credit products, up from 42% a year ago.
Consumers are, however, approaching borrowing more selectively. More than half (52%) considered applying for new credit or refinancing but ultimately chose not to proceed, up from 42% a year ago. Among these consumers, the cost of credit was the leading reason for not proceeding, according to 34% of those surveyed. More than nine in ten (92%) said rising interest rates affect whether they will apply for credit in the next 12 months. While these findings were captured before the South African Reserve Bank increased the repo rate by 25 basis points to 7.25%, they highlight that borrowing costs were already a significant consideration for consumers and may become an even more important factor in credit decision-making going forward.
“Consumers are demonstrating a more measured approach to borrowing. Rather than simply seeking access to credit, many are carefully evaluating whether a product meets their financial needs and circumstances. This creates an opportunity for lenders to align products, pricing and experiences more closely with evolving consumer expectations,” said Hatea.
Demand for credit remains broad-based, with the greatest proportion of consumers planning to apply for a new credit card (33%), a new car loan or lease (27%) or buy now, pay later services (25%). Consumers continue to embrace digital financial services, with nearly half (49%) reporting using websites or apps to send or receive money. With the use of digital financial services comes expectations around speed and convenience, and 86% of consumers said that real-time approval is important when applying for digital loans.
The study also points to signs of improving financial resilience. Fewer consumers expect to miss payments on bills or loans (32%, down four percentage points year-over-year), more said they’re paying down debt faster (34%, compared to 32% a year ago), and nearly one-third reported contributing more to emergency savings or stokvels (31%, up three percentage points year-over-year).
As digital adoption continues to increase, trust and security remain important considerations. Six in ten (60%) reported being targeted by email, online, phone call or text message fraud in the last three months, with 11% saying they fell victim to it. In addition, 29% said they were notified that their personal or account information had been compromised in a data breach in the last three months.
“South Africans continue to operate in a challenging economic environment, but the data points to a consumer that is becoming increasingly informed, resilient and deliberate in their financial choices. While reported household financial outlooks and income expectations have improved, affordability, value and long-term financial sustainability remain important considerations. Understanding these evolving consumer behaviours will be critical for organisations seeking to build trust and deliver products and services that meet consumers’ needs,” concluded Hatea.
Consumers can get their free annual credit report from TransUnion here.
Wednesday, 14 October 2026: Eskom is appealing to all political parties, independent candidates, supporters, campaign teams, advertising agencies and members of the public not to place election posters, banners or any promotional material on Eskom-owned or operated electricity infrastructure. This appeal applies equally to all election stakeholders and forms part of Eskom’s ongoing efforts to...
Tuesday, 13 October 2026: Eskom Holdings has launched the search for a strategic partner to help deliver the 1.5GW Tubatse Pumped Storage Scheme (Tubatse Project) in Limpopo, a landmark energy-storage project set to become South Africa’s largest pumped storage scheme. As a flagship development within Eskom Green, the project will provide the long-duration energy storage...
Friday, 09 October 2026: Eskom continues to deliver sustained operational improvements across its generation fleet to deliver energy security and a platform for growth, with the year-to-date Energy Availability Factor (EAF) reaching 68.2%, remaining at its highest level in six years. Diesel expenditure has declined by R4.82 billion, and the percentage of customers affected by...
Friday, 09 October 2026: Eskom Holdings has reached a further milestone in delivering Eskom Green, the utility-scale renewable energy business that aims to accelerate the options available to South Africa’s industries to decarbonise, support the energy transition, strengthen productive capacity, and drive regional industrialisation. Eskom Green is set to increase the supply of renewable energy,...
Wednesday, 07 October 2026: Eskom is deeply saddened by the passing of Mr Khulu Phasiwe, a respected communications professional who served the organisation with dedication and distinction as its National Spokesperson. Mr Phasiwe was a trusted voice of Eskom during some of the organisation’s most challenging periods. Having served as a Senior Communication Advisor and...
Friday, 02 October 2026: Eskom maintains its strongest operational performance in six years, with the year-to-date Energy Availability Factor (EAF) reaching 68.11%, reinforcing progress in restoring energy security and supporting economic growth. Supported by lower unplanned outages, improved generation fleet reliability and an 80.49% year-on-year reduction in diesel expenditure, South Africa has now achieved more...
Friday, 2 October 2026: What began as questions, observations and ideas developed into award-winning research as the 2026 Eskom Expo for Young Scientists International Science Fair (ISF) concluded with young scientists receiving top honours and opportunities that could take their work far beyond the exhibition floor. Held at the Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference...
Friday, 2 October 2026: Research projects that began with questions about problems young people wanted to understand or solve have opened doors to bursaries, cash prizes, international opportunities and further study, as outstanding young scientists were recognised at the 2026 Eskom Expo for Young Scientists International Science Fair (ISF). Held at the Birchwood Hotel and...
South Africa’s new vehicle market closed the third quarter on a strong note, with September sales rising 12.7% year-on-year to 61,645 units, despite affordability pressures and the recent 25 basis point increase in the repo rate to 7.25%. The result compares with 54,706 units sold in September 2025, according to naamsa. Passenger vehicle sales increased …
Wednesday, 30 September 2026: Eskom will extend its waiver of registration-related charges beyond 30 September 2026 for eligible customer-owned generation systems of up to 50kVA connected directly to its distribution network. The waiver has been extended until further notice. The extension removes registration-related charges for eligible customers but does not change the underlying regulatory requirement...
Most of us know the feeling. The car goes in for something small; the workshop calls back and the quote lands well above what you had budgeted for. A few months later it happens again. Somewhere between the second and third invoice, the thought arrives: is it time to let this one go? It is …
As many South Africans continue to feel the pressure of rising living costs, affordability is affecting popular credit products in diverse ways as consumers adapt their borrowing strategies rather than stepping away from credit altogether. The latest TransUnion Q2 2026 South Africa Industry Insights Report shows that households are becoming more selective about how they borrow, with consumers prioritising products that align with their needs while carefully managing affordability.
Acquisition Slowed as Portfolio Outcomes Diverged
Growth in retail credit originations (new accounts opened) declined across all major retail lending products during the quarter. New clothing accounts fell 7.8% year-over-year (YoY), retail instalment originations declined 10.3%, and retail revolving originations decreased 12.2%.
While all three credit products experienced lower new account volumes, the underlying customer and portfolio trends across these products tell very different stories.
Despite new account acquisition falling significantly, the clothing account portfolio continued to demonstrate stability, supported by existing customer relationships. Total credit lines increased by 12.4% YoY, outpacing balance growth of 8.0% YoY. This may reflect ongoing line management among existing customers, while the slower increase in balances suggests that consumers are using the additional capacity selectively, using only the credit they need to support day-to-day consumption in a challenging economic environment.
Clothing account performance improved slightly, with serious account-level delinquency (3+ months in arrears, or MIA) decreasing by eight basis points (bps) YoY to 26.5%. However, balance-level delinquency deteriorated by 67 bps, suggesting that repayment pressure is becoming more concentrated among customers carrying larger balances.
The retail revolving credit segment followed a different trajectory. Account volumes declined by 4.5%, the number of active consumers fell 4.4% YoY and outstanding balances decreased 1.9% YoY, indicating continued market contraction. Despite weaker acquisition (origination volumes dropped by 12.2% YoY) and lower participation, performance improved materially, with account-level delinquencies improving by 135 bps YoY to 16.0%. These trends suggest that while the portfolio may be shrinking in size, quality has improved, as tighter lending and portfolio rationalisation have yielded a more resilient borrower base.
Retail instalment lending presented yet another picture. Origination volumes declined by 10.3% YoY and the number of consumers carrying balances fell by 13.9% YoY, yet outstanding balances increased by 12.0% YoY and average balances rose by 9.8% YoY. Serious delinquency deteriorated across all measures: account-level delinquency increased by 146 bps, with similar deterioration for consumer-level and balance level delinquency, pointing to mounting repayment pressure among remaining borrowers.
For lenders, the combination of fewer consumers, higher average balances and broad-based delinquency deterioration reinforces the need to assess affordability carefully at origination and monitor existing portfolios closely for emerging signs of stress, particularly among retail instalment customers.
These trends align with findings from TransUnion’s Q2 2026 Consumer Pulse Study which showed that 52.7% of consumers said that they had cut discretionary spending in recent months, while nearly two thirds (63.4%) said that they actively sought sales and discounts when shopping, to make ends meet.
“South Africa’s retail credit market continued to fragment during the quarter under review, with clothing, retail revolving and instalment lending following increasingly different trajectories,” said Ayesha Hatea, director of research and consulting at TransUnion South Africa. “While all three products experienced lower origination activity, the underlying performance and portfolio trends suggest consumers are becoming more selective in how they use retail credit and lenders are responding differently across product types. As a result, retail credit can no longer be viewed as a single market, but rather as a collection of products serving distinct consumer needs and risk profiles, each of which may be experiencing varying levels of financial strain or resilience.”
Consumers’ Mobility Choices Influenced by Long-Term Affordability
Despite new passenger vehicle sales increasing strongly during Q2 2026 according to TransUnion’s Q2 2026 Mobility Insights Report, the vehicle finance market recorded modest growth in Q2 2026, continuing to demonstrate demand despite a more challenging affordability environment. Outstanding balances increased 8.0% YoY, supported by a 5.5% YoY increase in average new loan values, while origination volumes grew modestly by 1.1% YoY. Importantly, credit performance continued to improve, with serious account-level delinquencies decreased by 115 bps, indicating that growth continues to be accompanied by relatively strong portfolio performance.
This resilience is particularly noteworthy given shifts occurring elsewhere in the automotive market. According to the Mobility Insights Report, vehicle purchase intentions softened during Q2 2026, particularly among lower- and middle-income consumers. Affordability, financing costs, fuel efficiency and total cost of ownership have become increasingly important considerations in vehicle selection.
At the same time, consumers showed growing interest in technologies that could reduce long-term ownership costs, with hybrid vehicles emerging as an increasingly attractive alternative for consumers focused on fuel efficiency and operating costs. These developments suggest that demand is being reshaped by more value and affordability considerations, rather than disappearing altogether.
“Consumers are increasingly evaluating not only whether they can finance a vehicle, but also whether they can comfortably own and operate it over the longer term. This shift is likely to influence vehicle choice, financing structures and portfolio composition as the market continues to evolve,” said Hatea.
“Affordability pressures appear to be changing the structure of demand rather than reducing participation in the market. Consumers remain interested in mobility solutions but are becoming more selective about how their needs are met. Lenders that can balance access, affordability and risk management are likely to be best positioned to support sustainable growth in the vehicle finance market,” she added.
Personal Loan Trends Continued to Diverge
South Africa’s personal loan market continued to expand during Q2 2026, but the underlying trends diverged sharply between bank and non-bank lenders. While both segments recorded growth, differences in loan size and credit performance point to distinct borrower needs and risk outcomes.
Bank personal loan originations increased 7.7% YoY, outstanding balances grew 8.9% YoY and average new loan amounts increased 9.2% YoY, indicating continued demand for larger-value unsecured credit. These gains were accompanied by improved performance, with account-level delinquency improved by 194 bps YoY to 26.5% and balance-level delinquency improved by 342 bps YoY to 29.3%. Together, these trends suggest that banks found growth opportunities among consumers with the capacity to manage larger borrowing commitments while maintaining disciplined risk management and portfolio quality.
Non-bank personal loan originations increased by 21.3% YoY and the number of consumers carrying balances rose by 12.7% YoY, significantly outpacing the bank personal loan market. However, average new loan amounts declined by 5.9%, indicating that growth was increasingly concentrated in smaller-ticket lending. This points to continued demand for accessible liquidity and short-term credit solutions, particularly among consumers seeking smaller borrowing amounts.
While this supports broader access to credit, the non-bank personal loan segment also experienced a deterioration in credit performance. Serious account-level delinquency increased by 32 bps YoY to 48.3%, while balance-level delinquency rose by 636 bps YoY to 54.6%.
Lenders across these products target different risk groups: bank personal loan originations have tilted modestly towards subprime over the last two years, reaching 56.6% in Q2 2026 compared to 53.8% two years prior. In contrast, subprime non-bank personal loan customers account for 71.3% in Q2 2026, compared to 68.3% two years prior. This suggests that banks are widening access selectively, without dramatically changing their credit posture, while non-bank lenders are servicing the highest risk, highest need consumers – a dynamic that explains the sharp divergence in delinquency trends across the two segments.
“The contrast between bank and non-bank personal lending shows why growth must be assessed alongside loan value and credit performance,” said Hatea. “Understanding which consumers are driving expansion, and whether that growth is sustainable, is becoming increasingly important for lenders.”
Table 1: Key South African Consumer Credit Market Metrics (Q2 2025 vs Q2 2026)
| Product | YoY origination growth | Serious account-level delinquency rate* | YoY basis points (bps) change in delinquency rate |
| Credit card | -16.8% | 13.1% | +22 bps |
| Bank personal loan | 7.7% | 26.5% | -194 bps |
| Non-bank personal loan | 21.3% | 48.3% | +32 bps |
| Clothing accounts | -7.8% | 26.5% | -8 bps |
| Retail instalment | -10.3% | 27.3% | +146 bps |
| Retail revolving | -12.2% | 16.0% | -135 bps |
| Home loans | -10.5% | 7.2% | -52 bps |
| Vehicle finance | 1.1% | 6.4% | -115 bps |
*Account-level serious delinquency rate, measured as a percentage of accounts three or more months in arrears
“For lenders, sustainable growth will depend on looking beyond volume to the affordability, risk and repayment capacity behind each credit decision,” said Hatea. “Those that can identify where consumers have the capacity to take on credit responsibly, while responding early to emerging stress, will be best positioned to grow without compromising portfolio quality."
Tuesday, 29 September 2026: Months of questioning, researching, testing and refining ideas have brought young scientists from South Africa and around the world to the 2026 Eskom Expo for Young Scientists International Science Fair (ISF), where their research will take centre stage and new opportunities await. The opening of ISF saw 316 South African young...
POWER SYSTEM UPDATE 1 Eskom achieves weekly EAF of 70% and year-to-date EAF of 68.06%; emissions reduction target surpassed; diesel costs fall by R4.8 billion year-on-year and load reduction further reduced from 1.69 million customers to just over 240,000 Friday, 25 September 2026: Eskom continues to strengthen South Africa’s energy security due to its ongoing...