In case you missed it: R50k earners need 103% for debt | March halts amid AfriForum talks | September fuel hike warning
· Citizen

News today includes a report by DebtBusters found that South Africa’s debt crisis is worsening, with people earning R50 000 and more per month needing more than their salary to cover debt repayments.
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Meanwhile, March and March leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma confirmed on Tuesday that the movement’s activities had been suspended while it held talks with other groups, including AfriForum.
Furthermore, South African motorists are bracing for fresh punishment at the pumps, with Central Energy Fund (CEF) data showing petrol slipping into under‑recovery territory for September 2026.
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Debt crisis: South Africans earning R50k and above need 103% of their salary for repayments
Picture: iStockA report by DebtBusters found that South Africa’s debt crisis is worsening, with people earning R50 000 and more per month needing more than their salary to cover debt repayments.
The report, Debt Index, released on Tuesday, covers the second quarter of 2026, and shows that people who applied for debt counselling needed 64% of their salary to service debt. While this is an improvement from the previous quarters, Benay Sager, Executive Head of DebtBusters said it is still “extremely elevated”.
DebtBusters is a debt management and counselling company. The Debt Index is a quarterly data-driven report that analyses financial trends and debt levels of South Africans applying for debt counselling.
CONTINUE READING: Debt crisis: South Africans earning R50k and above need 103% of their salary for repayments
575 lifestyle discrepancies found… so why have no cops been disciplined?
Picture: SapsDespite hundreds of undeclared and potential conflicts of interest identified within senior South African Police Service (Saps) management structures in the last five years, no officials have faced disciplinary action.
The police ministry revealed the results of its asset disclosure processes in a written response to a parliamentary question released last week.
The report stated 575 lifestyle discrepancies had been identified since the 2021-22 financial year, ranging from undeclared vehicles, properties, and business interests.
CONTINUE READING: 575 lifestyle discrepancies found… so why have no cops been disciplined?
March and March operations on hold as it talks with AfriForum
March and March Movement leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma addresses supporters during a demonstration in Pinetown, south of Durban, on 16 July 2026. Picture: Rajesh Jantilal / AFPMarch and March leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma confirmed on Tuesday that the movement’s activities had been suspended while it held talks with other groups, including AfriForum.
“Today we do more consultations for SA First Forum… March and March work is on hold,” Ngobese-Zuma said.
She had earlier defended the movement’s independence from formal political structures, saying it was not a political party.
CONTINUE READING: March and March operations on hold as it talks with AfriForum
EFF, ANC target DA’s Mark Burke over R4bn crypto company allegations
The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) is investigating Kastelo, the fintech chaired by DA finance chair Dr Mark Burke, over claims it moved R4 billion offshore in breach of exchange controls. Picture: Supplied.The EFF has accused the DA of hypocrisy and financial misconduct after explosive allegations surfaced that a fintech company chaired by senior DA MP Mark Burke systematically bypassed South Africa’s exchange control regulations to externalise R4 billion.
This comes after the Johannesburg High Court dismissed an appeal by Kastelo, a fintech and cryptocurrency arbitrage trading provider, seeking to unfreeze its bank accounts while the Reserve Bank investigates it.
Acting Judge S. Johnson handed down a decision dismissing Kastelo’s application and ordered costs on the punitive attorney‑and‑client scale.
CONTINUE READING: EFF, ANC target DA’s Mark Burke over R4bn crypto company allegations
Fuel shock set to hit South Africans: This is how much you might pay in September
More pain at the pumps for motorists. Picture: iStockSouth African motorists are bracing for fresh punishment at the pumps, with Central Energy Fund (CEF) data showing petrol slipping into under‑recovery territory for September 2026.
Already battered by a hostile economic climate, South Africans now face the grim prospect of no relief at the fuel stations.
Mid‑month CEF figures reveal Petrol 95 has flipped to a 77‑cent under‑recovery, while Petrol 93’s cushion has narrowed to 66 cents per litre.
CONTINUE READING: Fuel shock set to hit South Africans: This is how much you might pay in September