YOUTH & DEBT- With 6.7 million youth aged 18-24, only 1 million are credit active.

Loading player...
GUEST - Andrew Fulton – Director at Eighty20

South Africa's youth are grappling with deepening financial challenges, including crushing unemployment, limited asset ownership and mounting debt levels. Eighty20, South Africa’s leading consulting, analytics and research company analyses those aged 24 and younger, who make up 44.5% of the population—bearing the brunt of economic hardship, reflecting broader structural issues in the country’s economy.

Eighty20's National Segmentation reveals that of the 6.7 million youth aged 18-24, only one million are credit active. Yet among these credit users, nearly half have defaulted on their loans. With an average monthly income of R3,400 (less than half the national average of R7,000) and a youth unemployment rate of 62.4%, financial strain is widespread in this age group.
17 Jun 2025 5AM English South Africa Business News · Investing

Other recent episodes

Getting your credit life in check and make 2026 the year of smarter credit choices.

GUEST – Jaco van Jaarsveldt, Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer at Experian South Africa’s credit landscape just offered a rare glimmer of hope: a 14% year-on-year improvement in default rates according to Experian’s latest Consumer Default Index (CDI). However, this seemingly positive statistic is a deceptive illusion, stemming more from…
13 Jan 3PM 16 min

ALLAN GRAY: Investing for your child’s education.

GUEST – Shaheed Mohamed, Head of Group Savings and Investments at Allan Gray January marks the start of the school year in South Africa, and for many parents, the rising cost of education is top of mind. Education is one of the most significant financial commitments parents will make, yet…
13 Jan 3PM 15 min

Discovery Health to cover costs of claims overpayments.

GUEST - Dr Ron Whelan, CEO of Discovery Health Discovery Health has moved to reassure members after identifying a claims system error that led to the overpayment of certain Above Threshold Benefit (ATB) claims during 2025. In a decisive move, the administrator has confirmed it will absorb the full cost…
13 Jan 3PM 11 min