62% of South Africans say their spending equals or exceeds their income – NedFinHealth

Loading player...
GUEST – Dr. Frank Magwegwe, Executive for Financial Wellness and Advisory at Nedbank.

The Monitor found that South Africa’s Financial Health score is currently at 53, slightly hovering above the midpoint of financial health. This suggests that, while there is a good foundation for financial health, there remains a significant portion of the population that could benefit from enhanced financial skills, behaviours, and habits.

62% of South Africans say their spending equals or exceeds their income. This is influenced by two main factors being income declining for 35% of the respondents and expenses increasing for 76% of the survey participants in the past 12 months.

The NedFinHealth Monitor also found that 69% of South Africans cannot pay all their bills on time. 33% of South Africans who are homeowners have been late with their home loan repayments in the past 12 months and individuals experiencing financial stress struggle the most to keep up with their bill payments. Furthermore, South Africans do not have sufficient savings for emergencies.

51% of South Africans say they do not have enough savings to cover their living expenses for at least 3 months. Glaringly, only 14% of South Africans are moderately confident, while only 11% are very confident that they are on track to meet their long-term financial goals. A significant percentage of South African are struggling to keep up with their debt obligations. 42% of South Africans, across various income levels, say they cannot manage their debt while only 16% of South Africans say they have no debt
17 Oct 2023 4PM English South Africa Business News · Investing

Other recent episodes

How Currency Volatility Is Hitting South African SMEs

A new Verto report warns that currency volatility is now a bigger threat to SME margins than logistics. Rumbi Shoniwa from Verto SA explains how FX swings erode profits and the practical steps SMEs can take to protect themselves.
29 Apr 3PM 11 min

Engineering Through Headwinds: Leoka’s 10‑Year Growth Story

Leoka Engineering founder Katlego Makgata reflects on a decade of building a 100% Black‑owned EPCM firm in one of South Africa’s toughest sectors. We discuss OR Tambo’s mission‑critical operations and the digital innovations shaping the next era of African engineering.
29 Apr 3PM 18 min

The New Rules of SME Resilience in 2026

Merchant Capital CTO David Reynders joins us to unpack how South African SMEs are navigating a volatile economy. We explore cash‑flow discipline, cost‑cutting without damaging growth, and why “cash buys you time.”
29 Apr 3PM 13 min

South Africa’s Fuel Relief Extended

The government has extended the temporary fuel levy cut—but what does this mean for inflation, household budgets, and the Reserve Bank’s rate path? PSG Chief Economist Johann Els explains.
29 Apr 3PM 11 min

Easter on a Budget: How South Africans Navigated the Fuel Spike

Lightstone Retail’s Mohit Narotam breaks down new mobility data showing how South Africans re‑engineered their Easter travel plans to beat one of the biggest fuel hikes in years. From early departures to shorter trips and smarter refueling
29 Apr 3PM 12 min