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The DA-run City is bending the rules to accommodate a favoured few. We are being asked to breathe life into a 17-year-old "Helen Zille Zombie Deal" that has already died three times.
The post GOOD SLAMS “ZOMBIE DEAL” REVIVAL AS CAPE TOWN “SOLD OFF” TO DEVELOPERS appeared first on For Good.
Africa’s clean energy funding would work much better if projects could borrow on fairer terms, and have longer to pay back loans.
South Africa is moving to regulate groundwater more tightly as demand and climate pressures grow, but the draft rules still fall short in important ways.
The decision by the Mayor of the Tshwane Metro, Nasiphi Moya, to host this year’s State of the City Address (SOCA) at Unisa with excessive glitz and glamour demonstrates a shocking disregard for the Metro’s serious financial predicament. While the Metro is technically bankrupt, thousands are squandered on a vanity project that does nothing to […]
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The State of the Capital Address (SoCA) delivered by the Executive Mayor of Tshwane’s multi-party coalition government laid out the undeniable truth that South Africa’s Capital City is on the rise.
The post THE NUMBERS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES: TSHWANE IS RISING! appeared first on For Good.
They argue that jobs and training will “restore dignity, stability, and growth in our communities”.
As ocean uses expand, it will be necessary to reduce disputes because they disrupt the environmental sustainability and equity central to a blue economy.
The increasing trade restrictions recently imposed by Namibia, Botswana and Mozambique on South African agricultural exports not only jeopardise South Africa’s agricultural sector, but also undermine regional trade and economic stability in Southern Africa. This directly contradicts the fundamental principle of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) and the objectives of the African Continental Free […]
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A look at how tax collection has improved since 1994
TransUnion Africa, a global information and insights company, announced the appointment of Annemie Botha as General Counsel, effective 1 February 2026.
In her role, Botha will lead TransUnion Africa’s Legal, Risk and Compliance function across South Africa, Botswana, eSwatini, Namibia, Kenya, Rwanda, Zambia, and Malawi. Her remit spans aligning legal and regulatory strategy with business objectives, strengthening governance frameworks, and supporting sustainable growth across these markets, with a strong focus on advancing transparency, fairness and consumer protection across the financial ecosystem.
Botha brings over 17 years of experience in legal advisory, compliance, privacy and corporate governance, with deep expertise across credit bureau regulation and financial services. Her appointment reflects TransUnion’s continued commitment to building a future-ready organisation that balances innovation with strong regulatory and risk management practices, anchored in responsible data use and positive consumer outcomes.
She most recently served as Director of Compliance at TransUnion Africa, where she led compliance strategy across eight African jurisdictions, driving governance, regulatory engagement and risk management at an executive level. Her work has consistently focused on translating regulatory requirements into practical frameworks that support both business resilience and consumer trust. Prior to this, Botha held the role of Privacy Counsel, where she established the Africa Privacy Committee and played a key role in enhancing the organisation’s privacy framework and regulatory relationships across the continent.
Earlier in her career and prior to TransUnion, Botha served as an in-house legal advisor and executive where she built and scaled the organisation’s legal and compliance functions, led mergers and acquisitions activities, and supported complex investment transactions. Her experience spans multi-jurisdictional regulatory engagement, corporate governance, and advising executive teams and boards on a wide range of risk and compliance matters.
In addition to her executive role, Botha has played an active leadership role in the broader industry, serving as Board Chair and Non-Executive Director of the Direct Marketing Association of South Africa, and contributing to regulatory and industry developments through various forums.
Botha’s appointment comes at a time when organisations are navigating increasingly complex regulatory environments, rapid technological advancements, and evolving market dynamics. In her new role, she will focus on aligning legal and compliance capabilities with TransUnion Africa’s business strategy, enabling innovation while maintaining robust governance and risk management frameworks, ensuring these capabilities continue to build confidence in financial markets.
Her priorities include strengthening regulatory and industry engagement, supporting expansion into new markets, enhancing cross-border legal and compliance capabilities, and ensuring the organisation remains agile and responsive to emerging trends, including the evolving use of data and technology within the financial ecosystem.
Lee Naik CEO and Regional President at TransUnion Africa, commented: “Annemie brings a unique combination of legal expertise, commercial acumen and a deep understanding of our business and markets. Her ability to translate complex regulatory requirements into practical, business-enabling solutions makes her exceptionally well positioned for this role. She brings a clear focus on ensuring our regulatory approach continues to support transparency, accountability and trust across the markets we serve. We are confident that under her leadership, our Legal, Risk and Compliance function will continue to play a critical role in supporting TransUnion Africa’s growth and strategic ambitions.”
Botha added: “I am honoured to take on the role of General Counsel at such an exciting time for TransUnion Africa. We have a strong foundation in place, and my focus will be on ensuring that our legal, risk and compliance capabilities remain closely aligned to our business strategy, enabling innovation while supporting sustainable growth. We are committed to upholding high standards of transparency and responsible data use, recognising the important role we play in strengthening confidence across the financial value chain. I look forward to working with our teams across the region to build on this momentum and drive meaningful impact for our clients and the markets we serve whilst ensuring we deliver on our mission of Information for Good.”
Botha succeeds Jeannine Naudé in leading Legal, Risk and Compliance following Naudé’s appointment as Head of Africa Regions for TransUnion in January.
The self-proclaimed Khoisan settlement has grown to between 15,000 and 20,000 people despite a 2021 interdict
In most churches, religious life forms around friendships, love, emotional support and social events.
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s sudden appointment of the EFF’s Nkululeko Dunga as the new MEC for Finance in the Gauteng government is a serious mistake. Dunga is in no way qualified to hold this position in the Gauteng government and it could severely harm the province, which is already plagued by financial mismanagement and weak […]
The post Lesufi’s appointment of EFF’s Nkululeko Dunga as MEC for Finance is a serious mistake appeared first on Freedom Front Plus.
The Dipaleseng Local Municipality’s draft budget for the 2026/27 financial year makes no meaningful provision for infrastructure upgrades and does not address the urgent needs of residents at all. The draft budget provides for operating expenditure of approximately R439,4 million, but only R16,7 million for capital projects. This means there is practically no funding for […]
The post Dipaleseng draft budget fails to address residents’ needs appeared first on Freedom Front Plus.
Research suggests a shift to electric mobility is technically and economically feasible.
Following today’s decision by the South African Reserve Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), the latest data from TransUnion points to a consumer environment that remains fragile, with many households continuing to navigate mounting financial pressure.
While some improvement in repayment behaviour was observed toward the end of 2025, this stability is proving short-lived. Rising living costs, increasing reliance on credit, and limited financial buffers mean that many consumers are entering 2026 in a vulnerable position, with little capacity to absorb additional economic shocks.
The decision to leave interest rates unchanged may offer a sense of short-term stability, but it does little to ease the underlying financial strain facing households.
“Stable rates do not translate into financial relief for most consumers,” says Fatgie Adams, Head of Credit Risk Solutions at TransUnion. “Many households are already under pressure, and upcoming increases in fuel and food costs are likely to erode any temporary stability created by a hold decision.”
Insights from the TransUnion Q4 2025 Consumer Pulse Study (CPS) show that households have already begun adjusting their behaviour in response to financial stress. More than half of consumers report cutting discretionary spending, while a significant portion have reduced clothing purchases, delayed major expenses, and scaled back on services such as subscriptions and digital platforms. At the same time, the study indicates a growing reliance on credit, with a notable share of consumers using credit to manage shortfalls in their monthly budgets.
This behavioural shift is reinforced by credit performance trends from the TransUnion Q4 2025 Industry Insights Report (IIR), which highlights continued strain in key segments. Credit card delinquency remains elevated at 17.4% (balance-level), while non-bank personal loan delinquency is critically high at 53.4% (consumer-level). These figures highlight deep vulnerability among financially stretched consumers, with short-term credit products showing the most acute distress. Although home loan delinquency remains relatively stable at 7.5%, it is still elevated, pointing to persistent pressure even within more structured credit product.
“Consumers may appear stable on the surface, but in reality, many are already in a form of financial triage,” Adams adds. “A flat rate environment simply provides time to prepare, it does not remove the pressure.”
With fuel prices expected to rise sharply in the coming months and food costs remaining persistently high, the overall cost of living is likely to increase further, placing additional strain on already stretched household budgets.
Regardless of the outcome, the broader picture remains one of rising pressure on household finances. The combination of higher living costs, constrained income growth and existing debt obligations means that many consumers will need to navigate the months ahead with increased caution.
Maintaining a clear view of essential expenses, staying on top of repayments, and making considered financial decisions will be critical as cost pressures continue to build.
The Tshwane Metro’s proposed 2026/27 draft budget could drive up residents’ monthly household expenses by an estimated R300 to R450. These sharp increases were announced on Thursday during the tabling of the Medium-Term Revenue and Expenditure Framework (MTREF) to the Council. The proposed increases are as follows: • Water: +10,0%• Electricity: +8,8%• Sanitation: +5,0%• Property […]
The post Tshwane’s unrealistic tariff hikes could see households shelling out up to R450 more per month appeared first on Freedom Front Plus.
The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) regards the Tshwane Metro’s recent announcement of a R26 billion tourism plan as an economic pipe dream that is completely out of touch with the fiscal reality of the capital. Promising 80 000 new jobs by 2029 while the Metro’s basic assets and infrastructure are collapsing is nothing short […]
The post Tshwane’s R26 billion tourism plan: a dangerous pipe dream in the context of collapsing infrastructure appeared first on Freedom Front Plus.
By 2100, rural African dwellers will be exposed to dangerous levels of heat nearly twice as high as those in urban areas.
The tremendous growth of the Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) over the past months as thousands of new members joined gained further momentum today with the Referendum Party’s decision to dissolve and throw its weight behind the Freedom Front Plus. In the past, many other parties opted to dissolve and join hands with the Freedom […]
The post New members and strong growth for the Freedom Front Plus appeared first on Freedom Front Plus.
In recent decades, cases have risen sharply in Africa as urbanisation, travel and climate change have expanded mosquito habitats.
This budget rightly recognises that economic growth depends on how efficiently we move people and goods.
We see this in the allocations before us: for example, over R270 million for the George Integrated Public Transport Network.
The post MOBILITY BUDGET REFLECTS A GOVERNMENT THAT CALLS FOR POWER BUT FAILS TO USE IT appeared first on For Good.
TransUnion’s Q4 2025 South Africa Industry Insights Report shows the consumer credit market shifting from a tentative recovery to broader stabilisation driven by steady inflation and interest rates, as well as improvements in consumers’ repayment behaviour. During the quarter there was again notable growth in vehicle asset finance and the personal loans market, while retail credit saw a change in product preference with consumers making smaller purchases.
South Africa's vehicle finance market continued its expansion in Q4 2025, with a fifth consecutive quarter of sustained growth. The growth in total loan balances continued to outpace new account volumes, indicating a firmer continued recovery in demand supported by a more accommodative interest rate environment following a 25 basis point (bps) repo rate cut in November, which further improved household affordability. Origination volumes rose 9.9% year-over-year (YoY), supported by strong consumer interest in affordable new car models and sustained lender confidence. The average new loan amount also climbed, by 3.3% YoY.
Much of this growth was driven by younger consumers, with Gen Z and Millennials[1] accounting for 66% of all originations. Lenders demonstrated an increased risk appetite, with originations to riskier below-prime borrowers growing by 20.2% YoY. This expansion coincided with positive repayment performance, as account-level delinquencies (the percentage of accounts three or more months in arrears) declining by 59 bps YoY to 6.8%.
The market dynamics were further shaped by a significant shift in the used-to-new vehicle financing ratio, which declined to 0.96 used vehicles for every new one financed, down from 1.56 in Q4 2024. This shift towards more new vehicle financing reflects the availability of budget-friendly new models and favourable inflation trends.
More consumers chose longer loan terms to improve monthly affordability too: in Q4 2025, 56.4% of consumers chose a loan term of 72 months or more, compared to 51.9% who made the same choice one year prior. This marked the first quarter this decade that more than half of consumers chose the longest vehicle finance term available.
“The change in the used‑to‑new finance ratio indicates stronger momentum in new‑vehicle financing and can also be attributed to shifting consumer preferences,” said Ayesha Hatea, director of research and consulting at TransUnion South Africa. “With advancements in technology, new vehicles often offer more features, safety upgrades, and improved fuel efficiency compared to older models, along with longer and more comprehensive warranties.”
“The data on longer loan terms highlights how consumers are adjusting their spending patterns and making strategic financial decisions. By opting for longer loan terms, many are able to manage their monthly payments more effectively and potentially afford a newer or higher-priced vehicle,” she added.
Diverging Strategies Shaped Personal Loan Market
The personal loan market showed a distinct divergence in Q4 2025 as bank and non-bank lenders pursued contrasting growth strategies. Bank personal loan originations grew by 10.2% YoY with average new account amounts up by 10.7% YoY, extending larger loan amounts to lower-risk consumer cohorts. This disciplined approach yielded better repayment performance as account-level delinquencies for bank loans dropped by 271 bps YoY to 27.0%.
Conversely, non‑bank lenders grew their portfolios quickly by shifting toward smaller loans, with average new account amounts down 2.8% YoY and the total volume of originations up 14.7% YoY. Younger borrowers drove a significant portion of this growth, with the volume of new loans issued to Gen Z borrowers climbing 39.6%. However, in contrast to bank lenders, which target relatively better risk borrowers, non-bank lenders’ customer bases are heavily skewed toward the riskiest subprime[2] consumers. As a result of this exposure, account-level delinquencies for non-bank loans remained elevated at 48.0%.
“These trends highlight a clear market split. Banks successfully managed risk while expanding their active books through larger loans to lower-risk borrowers. Meanwhile, non-bank lenders extended credit access to higher-risk borrowers through smaller loans, but faced notable repayment strain,” said Hatea.
Retail Credit Adapted as Buy Now Pay Later Gained Traction
The retail credit sector showed signs of a strategic shift in Q4 2025, influenced by changing consumer behaviours and the growing adoption of Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) solutions. While the clothing account sector showed resilience account originations growing by 7.2% YoY, other areas of retail credit saw a decline in new account openings. Retail instalment origination volumes decreased 19.4% YoY, and revolving credit originations fell 16.6% YoY.
This downturn in traditional retail credit originations could be influenced by increasing popularity of BNPL solutions in the market. TransUnion’s Q4 2025 Consumer Pulse Study shows 57% of South African respondents hold a BNPL product, and 36% have used a BNPL product multiple times in the last 12 months to pay for goods and services.
“Consumers appear to be choosing these flexible payment options for smaller credit purchases, drawn to their fixed or interest-free instalment plans,” said Hatea. “However, this trend has not yet significantly affected clothing accounts, which benefit from strong consumer loyalty and accessibility.”
Despite fewer new accounts in some retail segments, possibly also influenced by tighter lending policies, portfolio health shows positive signs. Account-level delinquencies for clothing accounts fell 213 bps YoY to 24.5% and retail revolving delinquencies dropped 238 bps YoY to 17.6%. Lenders also adapted their strategies: the average clothing account limits went up 6.8% YoY, while the average limit for revolving accounts also grew, by 3.9% YoY. This suggests a focus on providing more credit to existing, credit-healthy customers while managing the influx of new, potentially riskier borrowers.
Table 1: Key South African Consumer Credit Market Metrics (Q4 2025 vs Q4 2024)
|
Product |
YoY origination growth |
Serious account-level delinquency rate* |
YoY basis points (bps) change in delinquency rate |
| Credit card |
8.0% |
12.9% |
+33 bps |
| Bank personal loan |
10.2% |
27.0% |
-271 bps |
| Non-bank personal loan |
14.7% |
48.0% |
+50 bps |
| Clothing accounts |
7.2% |
24.5% |
-213 bps |
| Retail instalment |
-19.4% |
26.8% |
-110 bps |
| Retail revolving |
-16.6% |
17.6% |
-238 bps |
| Home loans |
8.5% |
7.5% |
+11 bps |
| Vehicle finance |
9.9% |
6.8% |
-59 bps |
*Account-level serious delinquency rate, measured as a percentage of accounts three or more months in arrears
“In Q4 2025, lenders widened access to credit where consumers showed stronger repayment discipline, tightening where risk accumulated and reshaping their portfolios towards lower risk borrowers,” Hatea said. “The data suggests that lenders’ priorities are shifting from stabilisation towards sustainable momentum as they pair cautious growth with sharper exposure discipline, deeper affordability insights and refined product strategies.”
[1] TransUnion age distribution: Gen Z (Born 1995 – 2010); Millennials (Born 1980-1994); Gen X (Born 1965-1979); Baby Boomers (Born 1946-1964)
[2] Scores are based on TransUnion’s CreditVision® generic scoring methodology. Risk distribution key: subprime (0-625), near prime (626-655), prime (656-695), prime plus (696-720), super prime (721-999).
The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) secured a victory for the residents of Eduan Park in the Polokwane Local Municipality during last week’s municipal planning hearing by obtaining a summary cessation order against an illegal guesthouse in the neighbourhood. The party assisted the Eduan Park Community Forum and Mr Daniel Scholtz as formal objectors in […]
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