Black Friday: Understanding the real impact of High Credit Card Limits

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GUEST - Jaco van Jaarsveldt, Head of Strategy & Innovation at Experian Africa

Black Friday is almost upon us, bringing with it the rush of tempting deals and the promise of incredible savings. But before diving into the spending frenzy, consumers should be aware of potential financial pitfalls that could turn a tempting discount into a future debt concern. It is essential that consumers approach this period understanding the true financial landscape.

The Experian Consumer Default Index (CDI) is designed to measure the rolling default behaviour of South African consumers across various loan types, including home loans, vehicle finance, personal loans, credit cards, and retail accounts. The overall CDI for Q3 of 2025 shows a 14% year-on-year improvement in default rates, moving from 4.36% in June 2025 to 3.76% in September 2025. However, interpreting this statistic as a sign of widespread national financial stability would be a misunderstanding of complex economic dynamics.
26 Nov 2025 3PM English South Africa Business News · Investing

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