Debtfree Magazine Issue 3 of 2024

IT'S HARD TO PUT FOOD ON YOUR FAMILY

E

XCE LL ENCE IS D OIN G

ORD IN A R Y THING S

E XT R AO RD I N A RI LY

W E L L

– John W. Gardner

WH

/ Unimpaired and automated PDA systems

/ Integration with top-ranked Debt Counsellor systems

/ Best customer suppor t in the countr y – queries are resolved within 24 hours

/ Strong compliance and best-industr y-practice implementation is at our centre

CREDIT PROTECTION

CREDIT PROTECTION

Have you applied to go under debt review? Are you restructuring your monthly expenses? Would you like to insure your debt?

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At a rate of R2.95 per R1000 unsecured/short-term credit and R2.00 per R1000 on mortgages and you can now insure your debt for less.

• Critical Illness – we pay your installments for 3 months

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The following financial obligations or debt can be covered on the ONE Credit Protection Policy:

• Credit Cards

• Overdrafts

At a rate of R2.95 per R1000 unsecured/short-term credit and R2.00 per R1000 on mortgages and you can now insure your debt for less.

• Personal Loans

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• Retail Accounts

The following financial obligations or debt can be covered on the ONE Credit Protection Policy:

• Rental Agreement

• Credit Cards

• Maintenance Orders

• Overdrafts

• Personal Loans

For further information please speak to your Broker, Debt Counsellor or alternatively contact your regional ONE office.

• Home Loans

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• Retail Accounts

• Rental Agreement

admin.debt@one.za.com

• Maintenance Orders

Terms and Conditions Apply

For further information please speak to your Broker, Debt Counsellor or alternatively contact your regional ONE office.

FROM THE EDITOR

They say, no plan survives the start of a battle*. And getting rid of debt, is a real battle, no lie!

Most people live their entire adult lives locked in debt, with little to no hope of escaping. As a result, they are forced to sell their future to pay for their past and can get caught in a downward spiraling journey into more and more debt.

To break out of that trap is hard. The entire system around us seems designed to get us into debt (for housing, for education, for food).

How do you become debt free and stay debt free?

It takes hard work, and most of us don’t really like that word, but good things often require a little sweat.

On top of that, things just seem to keep getting tougher. So, thank goodness for debt review and the amazing debt counselling process that is built into local law. Consumers these days have more options than ever to deal with their debt. Consumer rights have never been stronger. So, if you are struggling with debt, please get some advice and make a plan, even if that plan is not debt review, that’s fine, just make a plan

and stick to it. If that plan is debt review, then consider some of the advice and tips in this issue to help you stay on track, despite the rising cost of living and distractions that come your way.

In this issue we take a moment to acknowledge that running any business requires finding potential clients and letting them know about your services, this includes debt review practices. Some people forget about this when considering debt review fees. With many people seriously over indebted, it might be tempting to think that people are queuing up for debt review but sadly (for them and Debt Counsellors) that is not the case. So, it is up to us to let people know how great debt review can be, if you know what you are getting yourself into and fully commit to the process.

On a more personal note, I will just say that losing a parent is tough, but it has been so comforting to receive all the personal condolence messages and support for our family, thanks for that, I really appreciate it. It’s a good reminder that time is limited, and you don’t want to spend your time trapped in debt and stress. So, once again, make a plan!

While no plan is perfect, they also say: “if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail”. So any plan is better than no plan, and with debt review and a debt counsellor in your corner, you are more likely to succeed and actually get debt free.

WITH GREAT POWER COMES...

great responsibility

a huge electricity bill

DEBT REVIEW

STAY IN TOUCH

When all is going well with your debt review it can be tempting to let a long time period go by before you make contact with your Debt Counsellor. That’s a normal feeling.

Still, it doesn’t hurt to check in and let your Debt Counsellor know what’s going on and to let them know if you are staying on budget or need any advice. It also is good to let them know about any significant changes to income, expenses, contact info or accommodation.

We’ll get your interest rates right down. You’ll make one consolidated payment a month. You’ll have more cash to live on. Your assets will be legally protected. Sorted.

0861

www.debtbusters.co.za

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What We Do

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Benefits

Why Partner With Us?

•Additional Revenue Streams

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For Debt Counsellors

•A lucrative recurring monthly revenue stream

•Better chance of clients qualifying for debt review

•Little time and no effort – we do the work for you

•User friendly and efficient system

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For Debt Counselling Clients

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•Convenience – a single policy covers all your clients’ credit agreements

•Claiming process easy and effortless and facilitated by DCCP

•New loans can be included under this policy

CONTENTS NEWS

“IT’S HARD TO PUT FOOD ON YOUR FAMILY”

NAVIGATING THE SHOPPING MAZE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON’T PAY?

SERVICE DIRECTORY

Debtfree Magazine considers its sources reliable and verifies as much information as possible. However, reporting inaccuracies can occur, consequently readers using this information do so at their own risk. Debtfree Magazine makes content available with the understanding that the publisher is not rendering legal services or financial advice. Although persons and companies mentioned herein are believed to be reputable, neither Debtfree Magazine nor any of its employees, sales executives or contributors accept any responsibility whatsoever for their

activities. Debtfree Magazine contains material supplied to us by advertisers which does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Debtfree Magazine team. No person, organization or party can copy or re-produce the content on this site and/or magazine or any part of this publication without a written consent from the editors’ panel and the author of the content, as applicable. Debtfree Magazine, authors and contributors reserve their rights with regards to copyright of their work.

IT'S HARD TO PUT FOOD ON YOUR FAMILY

Food prices are up, salaries are not.

So, how do you keep up with the ever increasing cost of food while on a tight budget?

IT’S NOT JUST YOU...

If you have been to the shops recently you will have noticed the shift in food prices.

Some items, like potatoes, went up by over 100% in the last 2 years, most fruit has gone up 25% in the last year, eggs went up 80%, sugar 65%, rice 61% spaghetti 50%, and bread 40%.

These items prices have jumped by a significant percentage, while most other items just seem to go up by a few cents every time.

The result is either (1) you spend more than you previously did, to buy the same items or (2) you end up having to sacrifice some nice-to-have items.

It’s not just at your local store, it is world-wide. Food prices have gone up globally and look to continue increasing as climate change impacts farmers, and as rising fuel costs continue to push up transportation costs.

PEOPLE ARE BUYING FOOD ON CREDIT

If you have debt, you may feel like you are paying and paying and not getting rid of your debt.

In fact, you may even be buying food on credit, this means that the price you are paying is the price PLUS interest, pushing prices up further. And the interest rates are high right now.

The SA Reserve Bank often say they want to keep interest rates high, in order to drive down inflation.

What high interest rates can’t directly affect is the price of fuel (dictated by the OPEC club), the collapse of local freight and shipping and the effects of war in Europe on wheat and energy supply. Interest rates also don’t affect the value of the Rand to US$ and navigating the knock-on effects of tricky international political relationships between the USA, SA and Russia. High interest rates also have little impact on the way the weather is changing and how often farmers are having to cope with floods and fires.

All this means that the food you buy, costs much more than the price tag at the shops. If you are in debt review, you are buying food with cash or using your debit card, protecting you from this extra hidden cost.

IT’S HARD PUT FOOD ON YOUR FAMILY

YOUR FOOD BUDGET

When you enter debt review, you will receive advice from your Debt Counsellor regarding your budget.

This will cover items that you maybe left out in the past due to poor cash flow (like saving something each month, car services, licenses, insurance) and things you regularly need (like data, transport and groceries).

This budget is related to your needs at the time of applying for debt review, and is hopefully realistic and sustainable.

So, when you begin debt review, you should feel confident that you will be able to afford to feed and nourish your family.

Those not in debt review should also have a realistic food budget, and try to stick to it each month. Don’t leave it to chance, make a plan.

Of course, having a budget does not mean you will stick to it, you will need to do your best to adjust past, less than ideal, shopping habits to match your new budget.

IT’S HARD PUT FOOD ON YOUR FAMILY

PRICE CREEP

Over time, prices for food go up. You can ask an older person what they used to spend on groceries for a month and will quickly find that you will easily spend more than that for a single packet of groceries these days.

While that is a pretty extreme version due to the time-lapse, you will also notice prices creep up over the time period that you are in debt review. Most people take between 3 to 5 years to sort out their debt through debt review.

Over that time, prices will go up enough to place you under pressure.

Debt Counselling Practice DebtBusters have released stats that show consumers have lost 40% of their buying power as inflation has outstripped salary increases over the last few years.

IT’S HARD PUT FOOD ON YOUR FAMILY

MAKE ADJUSTMENTS

All this means that, if you entered debt review a while ago, or if you have been relying on credit to buy food, you need to continue to make adjustments to how you are shopping, you have to.

This may involve meticulously tracking what you are spending on groceries. Many of us shop on several occasions across a month, and so the total figure may not be too obvious unless you start to keep a good record.

Once you know what you are spending, then you can start to think about what changes you can make.

• Some stores are more expensive than others. Normally, convenience stores are priced higher than bulk sellers (like Makro etc).

• Having things delivered many times may incur high delivery costs which you could avoid by making fewer bulk shopping visits.

• Which items you choose at the store also impacts on cost. Looking for items above and below the eyeline can help identify cheaper alternatives.

• Doing a “pre”-shop online before heading to the store (or even while in store on a competitor’s site) can help identify items where you can save significant amounts.

• If things are really tight you could look at amazing dehydrated food products like AFOODABLES where you can feed a family member for R10 a meal. Or you could try simplify meals and shift to… 2 minute noodles once a week.

• It does not need to be said, but eating out is pricey. Could you rather buy the Steers Burger Patties (or whichever brand) at Checkers and try recreate them at home instead? While your chips may not be as good, you will not end up paying an extra R15 for a thin slice of cheese if you want one.

Whatever you come up with, the idea is to not only make one adjustment when you first decide to tackle your debt, but to keep your finger on the pulse over time as prices shift.

IT’S HARD PUT FOOD ON YOUR FAMILY

KEEPING FOOD ON YOUR PLATE

One of the main benefits of starting debt review, is knowing that you will be able to afford the essentials each month.

While debt review is not designed to be a walk in the park, it will help keep food on your plate, petrol in your tank and data on your phone.

With the way prices shift over time, you will need to be vigilant that you are adjusting your habits to keep pace with inflation.

We may see bigger and bigger jumps in food costs in the future, as bad weather and other issues effect prices. When this happens, you too will need to make big jumps and changes to keep pace. It’s a pain, but is a necessary part of learning to live without debt.

This is called ‘living within your means’.

Sleep better tonight

Wessel Symington

Steyn Coetzee Attorneys

‘‘The reason Zero Debt are industry leaders is that they get 80% acceptances on their initial proposals to credit providers, right away. They also make excellent use of the DCRS proposal system in negotiations with credit providers.

Zero Debt regularly succeeds in convincing credit providers to reduce their high interest rates down to less than 5% on their client’s debts.

This means that Zero Debt clients obtain their court orders and can pay off their debts quickly. They ensure dedicated clients get their clearance certificates and are soon able to start their debt free life.

NAVIGATING THE SHOPPING MAZE

NAVIGATING THE SHOPPING MAZE

STRETCH YOUR BUDGET

Amidst the current financial pressure, it’s essential to stretch every rand when hitting the shops.

But retailers and grocery stores want you to spend lots with them. How do you visit the shops without breaking the bank?

Let’s explore the top tips to shop smarter and spend less.

NAVIGATING THE SHOPPING MAZE

STRATEGIC

SHOPPING:

HUNT FOR THE DEALS

Ignore brands and focus on where you’ll find the best prices.

Keep tabs on specials and discounts across different stores.

NAVIGATING THE SHOPPING MAZE

FARMERS MARKETS AND DISCOUNTS

Check out farmers markets or local food markets for end-of-day discounts.

Look out for markdowns on nearing sell-by-date stock.

NAVIGATING THE SHOPPING MAZE

BULK BUYING

Buying in bulk can save you funds.

Always check if bulk purchases align with your actual needs and storage capacity.

Who are we?

We are a passionate and dedicated team of attorneys based in Paarl, South Africa, committed to providing topquality legal services to our clients Our firm is predominantly women-led, bringing a unique perspective and approach to our services. At our core, we embody the values of trustworthiness, reliability, approachability, professionalism, innovation, and energy

Why Choose Us

Clients choose us for our debt counseling and correspondent services because of our personalised approach, unwavering integrity, and extensive expertise, as our registered debt counselors provide compassionate support by negotiating manageable payment terms with creditors, while our efficient assistance as correspondents to lawyers across South Africa ensures prompt execution and reliable solutions for a variety of legal matters, ultimately leading to client satisfaction and peace of mind.

Compassionate Debt Counseling Attorneys

Are you a debt counsellor, searching for a reliable attorney firm to swiftly secure debt review court orders? Look no further.

A de Bruyn Attorneys is your dedicated partner, ensuring accurate and timely approval for your clients With extensive knowledge and experience in debt counselling, we streamline the process, delivering dependable service and prioritising your clients' best interests. Reach out today to discuss how we can secure debt review court orders swiftly and effectively Let's make a difference together

Reliable Correspondent Services

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NAVIGATING THE SHOPPING MAZE

NAVIGATING THE SHOPPING MAZE

ONLINE SHOPPING

Online shopping can help reduce impulse purchases.

Don’t forget to factor in delivery charges vs potential savings.

NAVIGATING THE SHOPPING MAZE

COUPON CLIPPING AND LOYALTY POINTS

Utilize coupons and loyalty programs sensibly to maximize saving.

Beware the temptation to spend more just to get points.

NAVIGATING THE SHOPPING MAZE

SEASONAL SHOPPING

Buy seasonal produce to cut costs.

Buying out of season produce means you’re paying higher rates for imported goods.

DEBT REVIEW

WHEN YOU CAN’T SAVE

If you have been under debt review for a while, you may find it starts to get difficult to stick to your original budget. One of the first things that may happen is that you find that you are no longer able to set aside something each month towards upcoming events and expenses (like school or vehicle related costs).

If this is happening to you , then you need to reach out to your Debt Counsellor to look over your budget together.

Don’t be shy they are there to help you stay on track. When you can’t save it is an early warning sign that things are not quite right.

OFF-BRAND

EXPLORATION

Big brand names come with big brand prices.

Explore store brands or no-name brands for competitive prices without compromising quality.

DIY CONVENIENCE

Compare prices of pre-packed or pre-cut versus whole, loose items.

Allocate a few extra minutes to DIY tasks to save on pre-packaged costs.

LOOK DOWN

Scan shelves thoroughly for better deals.

Retailers put expensive things at eye height, so beware of pricey items placed at eye level.

NAVIGATING THE SHOPPING MAZE

BRING YOUR OWN BAG

You don’t need to buy bags or packets.

Carry reusable bags, or recycle your packets to avoid paying for more.

NAVIGATING THE SHOPPING MAZE

SHOPPING ON A FULL STOMACH

Snack first, shop later.

Avoid shopping while hungry to curb impulse buys.

NAVIGATING THE SHOPPING MAZE

EVERY RAND COUNTS

Implementing some of these strategies may not totally revolutionize your shopping habits overnight, but even small changes can bring significant savings in the long run.

As inflation continues its relentless climb, mastering the art of savvy shopping becomes a skill you need. So, why not incorporate these top tips into your shopping routine and watch your savings grow?

Every Rand counts.

YOU CAN DO IT!

Debt review is not easy but it is also not impossible. Hundreds of thousands of people have used the process to get out of debt and you can to.

If you would like to hear from some of the people who have successfully completed the process then you can check out this podcast which is all about debt review success:

www.debtreviewwithdummies.co.za

There are interviews with all sorts of people like:

• A Hard Working Single Mom

• A High Profile Businessman

• A Radio DJ

• Someone who fell for the “get out of debt review scams”

• Someone who took a really long time in debt review

• Someone who started a new job and things didn’t work out

Their success stories show that anyone can complete debt review if they just stick with the process and work closely with their Debt Counsellor.

Why not give the podcast a listen and see how they did it?

6 SAVVY EATING STRATEGIES

How and what you eat, can also impact a lot on how much you spend on food.

Check out these 6 savvy eating strategies.

Simplify Suppers

Opt for smaller, simpler meals. This will help you to not only save money but also time.

Embrace MeatFree Meals

Meat is one of the more costly food stuffs. So try incorporate some meatless options to cut down on expenses. Pizza night anyone? Soup and Rolls? Yum. There are many great products out there that are both tasty, and affordable (like AFOODABLES)

Minimize Food Waste

Prioritize consuming items from the fridge and pantry before restocking. Use what you have. If you are not feeling creative enter the ingredients you have into google and ask it what you can make with those items.

Grow Your Own

Cultivate homegrown produce for costeffective satisfaction. Food never tasted so good as when you grew half the ingredients yourself.

Make Some For Later

Prepare freezerfriendly meals ahead of time (meal prepping) to avoid costly last minute take-outs, or to help when preparation time is limited.

Lunchbox Leftovers

Utilize dinner leftovers for economical work and school lunches.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON’T PAY?

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON’T PAY?

IT’S A LEGAL PROCESS

Debt review is a highly regulated process organized through the courts, and requires regular payments as per a detailed plan provided by an NCR registered Debt Counsellor.

Before entering debt review, consumers may have fallen into the bad habit of not sticking to their agreed monthly debt repayments.

This causes trouble, and will result in credit providers setting their collections department loose on you. They will SMS, email, call, send letters and even knock on your door, making demands. They could even start legal action trying to recover assets.

Entering debt review helps consumers to avoid all this stress, but requires that regular (monthly) payments are made, exactly as agreed in advance.

But other than letting your Debt Counsellor know you are not interested in settling your debts, what happens when you decide to miss a payment or short- pay?

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON’T PAY?

STEP ONE: NOTICE

The first thing that happens is that the credit providers’ computers pick up that something is wrong. This then gets them worried or angry, and they send a warning letter called a Section 86(10) Notice.

This notice is sent to the consumer, the National Credit Regulator (NCR) and the consumers’ Debt Counsellor.

The idea behind the notice is to let you know that a payment was missed, and that you can quickly pay the money or they will take matters further.

Many credit providers actually ask you to catch up the payment immediately before they even send out this notice. By the time they send it, the snowball of consequence has started rolling downhill and is picking up speed.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON’T PAY?

STEP TWO: TERMINATION

If the consumer does not sort things out ASAP, then the credit provider will understand that the consumer is no longer willing to participate in the debt review process.

As a result, they will take the matter out of their dedicated internal debt review department, and hand it over to collections. They have then terminated their participation in the debt review process.

The collections department will then start to pester the consumer for payment.

It is normally at this stage when the consumer suddenly realizes that things are about to get very nasty, and begs their former Debt Counsellor to somehow miraculously help make the debt review reappear, but sadly, it is too late.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON’T PAY?

STEP THREE: JUDGEMENT

After some effort in asking for payment, they will consider handing the matter over to their legal collections team. This team may send a threatening letter and then a summons to court.

They will want to get a judgement for the debt (which lasts 30 years) and possibly recover any assets involved (like a car or house).

Once they get the judgement, they will then put the car or house up for auction to recover at least some of their money quickly.

Whatever is left owing after they sell the item on auction will be collected from the consumer over the next 30 years.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON’T PAY?

NEVER EVER, EVER MISS A PAYMENT

As you can imagine, all that stress is emotionally draining and financially crippling.

Even where consumers did nothing wrong, and there has just been a mix up, the matter still has to be defended at court and attorneys will need to be paid to get the credit provider to hand the matter back to their internal debt review department (note: this only ever happens if the debt was actually repaid or a firm arrangement for missed payments was in place in advance).

If you are in debt review then please never miss a payment, it is really not worth all the stress and extra costs.

DEBT REVIEW

Paying Less Can Mean Paying Longer

When entering debt review, one way the monthly obligations (how much you have to pay) can come down is by making arrangements to pay over a longer time period.

This is very helpful and makes debt repayment manageable. But the longer you repay debt the more chances there are for things to go wrong. So, your Debt Counsellor will try balance what you need with how much you can afford to pay to try get you out of debt as soon as possible.

STEP-BY-STEP DREX GUIDE

DREX simplifies the exchange of data and makes managing the debt review process less admin intensive.

The below links take you to step-by-step guides on how to use the DC Portal on DREX.

GETTING CLIENTS COSTS MONEY

GETTING CLIENTS COSTS MONEY

WAYS TO GET CLIENTS

All businesses need clients. The more clients who spend more money with you the more potential for profit there is.

Some of the biggest businesses in the world have millions or even billions of clients. But how can you get more clients?

Word of mouth referrals is one of the best ways to get new clients. If you have a great product or great price for your services, your happy clients will tell others about you.

Advertising your services is another way to get new clients. It is the art of letting people know (1) that you exist and (2) what you offer and how it can benefit them.

WHAT IT COSTS TO GET THEM IN

Businesses need to track how much it is costing them to get new clients. This is often called the Client Acquisition Cost (CAC).

GETTING CLIENTS COSTS MONEY

HOW MUCH IT COSTS TO HELP THEM

Once acquired, you next need to look at how much your average client spends with you.

If you spend R100 to get a client who spends R90 with you… there is a problem.

If you spend R2000 to get a client who spends R6000 with you…well, you may have a good CAC. But you also need to figure out how much it costs you to look after that client, and give them the service or product you offer.

If it costs you R100 to get a client who spends R150 with you it might seem like you are winning, but what if it costs you another R100 to offer them your service or product? You have actually lost R50 and will soon be out of business.

CLIENT ACQUISITION COST AND DEBT REVIEW GETTING

Although many people in South Africa have debt problems, not many choose to do anything meaningful about their predicament. Debt is complex, and the emotions around dealing with debt are tricky.

Though people may have heard about debt review, few have taken the time to get an accurate picture of how it works, and if it might be right for them.

People are more likely to try get more credit to solve their problems, than to research how to get out of debt using debt review.

In South Africa the National Credit Act lays the primary responsibility of educating consumers about debt review with the National Credit Regulator (NCR).

Those who offer debt review services also have a vested interest in telling others about the process, and spend many, many millions each month attempting to do so.

DC Partner is a award winning payment distribution agency to the national debt industry.

Compliance: DC Partner is a NCR accredited Payment Distribution Agency, and adhere to strict security standards to ensure compliance and safe handling of debt review funds.

Efficiency: We streamlined processes for quick distribution of funds, saving time and resources for debt counsellors with our secure payment solutions.

Market Leading Payment Distribution Agency

VARYING COSTS OF GETTING

Companies who rely on word of mouth may have a client acquisition cost of less than R2500 on average.

Medium sized companies who take on more clients each month, may end up spending R3000 or R3500 per client they sign up.

National practices who compete heavily with one another on platforms like Facebook or Google may end up paying over R3500 –R6000 to acquire a client.

Now those in the industry may sigh when they see those figures, as very often the initial fee that a client pays is similar to those figures, and sometimes much less than that.

This means that the Debt Counsellor will be “working for free” until their client has paid their debt well for a few months before they begin to make (ave.) R175 a month. It may take many, many months or possibly years until the Debt Counsellor starts to break even.

WHEN CONSIDERING FEES

If you have control over your pricing structure in your business or industry, then always factor in both the cost to acquire a client, as well as the cost to service a client. Make sure your fees cover both these costs with a little profit too.

At present, an industry body is looking over the timing of the fees for debt review. There is even talk of spreading the initial fee out over several months. This scares Debt Counsellors a lot.

One of the “hidden” costs that is sometimes not immediately obvious, is the cost to acquire a client. If the initial fees are spread out even further, it will seriously impact the ability to acquire new clients and run a debt counselling practice.

Why? Due to its massive impact on cashflow and resources to be able to market to new clients. Some even say it will result in at least 2/3rds of the industry shutting down within a few weeks, which would be sad and problematic.

During the holidays, families eagerly anticipate the joyous reunions, delicious feasts, and cherished moments that come with this special time.

However, amidst the festivities, it’s essential to maintain financial responsibility and make wise spending choices.

Debt Counsellors play a crucial role in educating consumers about wise financial choices during the holidays and the importance of NOT reversing their debit orders. By prioritizing debt review payments and staying on track with financial obligations, consumers can safeguard their financial well-being and work towards achieving long-term financial goals.

Celebrate this long weekend joyfully and responsibly, creating cherished memories that endure for years to come.

BREAKING NEWS

INFO REGULATOR SENDS TRANSUNION AN ENFORCEMENT NOTICE

Back in march 2022 information about 5 million South Africans was hacked from TransUnion. At the time TransUnion refused to pay the R224 Million ransom demand from the hackers.

2 years later the Information Regulator has completed an investigation into the event and issued an enforcement notice to TransUnion and told them they need to (1) jack up security (2) do an internal audit and (3) do an impact assessment.

TransUnion have a few weeks to get that in place and are probably happy that they got some homework and were not hit by a big fine.

SA FARMERS HIT BY BAD WEATHER

After a good start to the growing season, farmers were starting to feel like they may have dodged the effects of the dreaded El Nino weather system this year.

Unfortunately, things have turned sour in the last few weeks and now farmers are expecting to bring in smaller or damaged crops. There is now a predicted 20% reduction in maize production expected.

This will no doubt negatively impact on local food prices.

WHY FUNERAL PLANS ARE DIFFERENT

We all know it can sometimes be a bit of a pain claiming from insurance. It can involve having an assessor come and look at stuff or sending slips and pictures to prove you owned items that are lost or damaged. With vehicles it can mean days or weeks without your transport while repairs are done. This is primarily done to protect insurers from abuse by chancers or skelms.

Funeral cover however is often quite different. Most insurers try extremely hard to pay out within 24 – 48 hours with only a few documents submitted via email or over Whatsapp. That may be as simple as a death certificate, ID and proof of banking for the beneficiary. Why?

This is because the insurers know that funeral bills need to be paid as soon as possible and the families cannot wait for the funds to become available.

Good for them.

WILL CAPITEC’S 86(10) NOTICES SENT TO WRONG EMAIL ADDRESSES COUNT?

Recently Capitec Bank’s debt review department let Debt Counsellors know they had sent some 86(10) “termination” notices to the wrong email addresses. They also let Debt Counsellors know they would not be resending them.

What this means is that Capitec have not fulfilled the requirements of the National Credit Act in notifying the consumer, Debt Counsellor and NCR about a possible termination.

Some consumers and Debt Counsellors also say they received some notices that are missing info about the name or ID number of the person possibly involved. This makes it impossible to know who the notice is about.

CIF

meeting about fees. If any of our members would like to send in submissions please post on the Facebook Group.

FS - 12-Apr-24

Gauteng - 2024/04/23

KZN - 2024/04/12 - One Offices

Tel: +27 12 140 0602

Email: info@collectnetpda.co.za

Web: www.collectnetpda.co.za

Finwise is an all-inclusive Software System, designed for debt counsellors for professional and efficient Debt Management.

Finwise is a cloud-based system, and can be used on any mobile device, PC, or tablet with internet connectivity.

The exceptional workflow and innovative task manager tools saves the user valuable time, through multiple consumer data reporting and easy management. Several integrations such as Legasys, iDOCS, Drex, facilitate effortless administering, and handling of multiple transactions and tasks within one system.

info@finwise.biz

www.web.finwise.biz

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DEBT COUNSELLORS

NORTHERN CAPE

WESTERN CAPE

NORTH WEST

14th

Tel:

Fax:

Do

WESTERN CAPE

Liddles & Associates

“If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.”

- Tony Robbins

(T)

87 138 3275 (E) quintin@liddlesinc.com

www.liddlesinc.com

Steyn Coetzee Attorneys / Prokureurs

Adri de Bruyn

11 Market Street / Markstraat 11, Paarl, 7646

Tel: 021 872 1968

Fax: 021 872 2678

adri@steyncoetzee.co.za

We

079

Tel:

Effective Intelligence

sardagh@e-intelligence.com

Fides Cloud Technologies

craig@fidescloud.co.za

Finch Technologies chris@finchinvestments.co.za

I-Bureau Services abrie@ibureau.services

IDR South Africa shane@v-report.co.za

iFacts

sonya@ifacts.co.za

Inoxico support@inoxico.com

Kudough Credit Solutions

chrisjvr@kudough.co.za

Lexisnexis Risk Management

kim.bastick@lexisnexis.co.za

Lightstone chrisb@lightstone.co.za

Loyal1

tshepiso@loyal1.co.za

Managed Integrity Evaluation

marelizeu@mie.co.za

Maris IT Development marius@marisit.co.za

National Validation Services info@nvs-sa.co.za

Octagon Business Solutions gregb@octogon.co.za

Omnisol Information Technology info@verifyid.co.za

Payprop Capital

johette.smuts@payprop.co.za

PBSA seanb@PBSA.CO.ZA

Right Cover Online cto@rightcover.co.za

Searchworks 360 skumandan@searchworks360. co.za

Smart Information Bureau info@smartbureau.net

ThisisMe

juan@thisisme.com

TPN Group

michelle@tpn.co.za

Trans Africa Credit Bureau

clintonc@transafricacb.co.za

Transaction Capital Credit Health

DavidD1@tcriskservices.co.za

VeriCred Credit Bureau

sumein@vccb.co.za

WeconnectU

johann@weconnectu.co.za

Zoia Consulting

sipho@dots.africa

Dear Debt Counsellors,

Email & Task Type

Forms 17 1 and 17 7

Forms 17 2, Proposal Summaries, Cascade plans & Court orders

Forms 17.2 Rejection, 17.W & Form 19

Forms 17 3, General queries, settlements, balance, refunds, statements, Paid up letter request & reckless lending allegations, payment allocation queries & Complaints

DEBT REVIEW INBOUND CONTACT NUMBERS:

+27 87 250 5533

+27 21 8300 711

DEBT REVIEW ENQUIRIES ESCALATION MANAGEMENT ORDER CONTACT DETAILS

Kindly note that escalations must only be done once you have sent your request to the above-mentioned contact email addresses and if your requests are out of SLA in lieu Debt Review forms response business days stipulated in the NCR Act

Kind Regards,

Denvor Rank

Operations Manager: Process Recoveries

This letter serves to communicate to the Credit industry to use the following contact details for the Nimble Group when processing Debt Review related applications, enquiries, queries and, complaints escalation process.

Kindly take note Nimble Group hereby consents to service all legal documents applicable to Debt review herein by way of email.

Contact Details

drcob@nimblegroup co za

drproposal@nimblegroup co za

drtermintation@nimblegroup.co.za

drqueries@nimblegroup co za

1st line escalation

Aletta Tokollo Molelekeng

Debt Review: Team Manager

D: +27 11 285 7247

E: AlettaM@normanbissett co za

2nd line escalation

Denvor Rank

Operations Manager: Process Recoveries

O: +27 21 830 0750 (Ext 6062)

E: denvorr@nimblegroup co za

3rd Line escalation

Zivia Koff

Specialised Process Manager

D: +27 21 492 4554

E: ziviak@nimblegroup co za

We trust this communication finds you well and that it will improve our service to you

It is of utmost importance that debt review documentation is sent to the correct email address to ensure timeous feedback and action.

CAPITEC BANK CONTACT DETAILS

Further to the above, please ensure that only the channel email address applicable to the documents being submitted is used. Sending emails to multiple email addresses will result in a delay or even no feedback or action.

Table 2 contains our escalation process should you have not received feedback within SLA’s. Please ensure that the order of escalation is followed and refrain from sending your escaltion to multiple email addresses.

086 066 7783

Table

Debt Review

CAPITEC BANK ESCALATION CHANNELS

Order of Escalation Person Designation E-mail address

Forms 17s, Court documents

1 Jolene Pieters

Team Leader: Debt Review (Court Orders/Forms/Inclusions) JolenePieters@capitecbank.co.za

2 Cindy Mauritz Manager: Debt Review CindyMauritz@capitecbank.co.za

3 Carolina Visser Manager: Process Recoveries CarolinaVisser@capitecbank.co.za Proposals

1 Meghan Bruiners Team Leader: (Proposals) MeghanBruiners@capitecbank.co.za

2 Cindy Mauritz Manager: Debt Review CindyMauritz@capitecbank.co.za

3 Carolina Visser Manager: Process Recoveries CarolinaVisser@capitecbank.co.za

General Enquiries, Refund/cancellation requests , Termination queries, Updated COB’s, Payment queries

1 Nathan Slaverse Team Leader: Enquires Nathanslaverse@capitecbank.co.za

2 Carolina Visser Manager: Process Recoveries CarolinaVisser@capitecbank.co.za Insurance replacements

1 Mfundo Xaba Officer: Market Conduct Oversight MfundoXaba@capitecbank.co.za

2 Dries Olivier Manager: Market Conduct and Oversight DriesOlivier@capitecbank.co.za

Reckless Lending Queries

1 Whitney Jardine Team Leader: Recoveries Risk Support WhitneyJardine@capitecbank.co.za

2 Zayaan Jurgens Manager: Recoveries Risk Support ZayaanJurgens@capitecbank.co.za

Credit insurance claims

1 Grant Griffith

Jessica Rademeyer

Kanyisa Mbiza

Team Leader: Insurance Claims GrantGriffiths@capitecbank.co.za

JessicaRademeyer@capitecbank.co.za KanyisaMbiza@capitecbank.co.za

2 Brigitte October Performance ManagerInsurance Claims BrigitteOctober@capitecbank.co.za

Telephonic queries lodged

1 Laetitia Pretorius Team Leader: CCS Queries LaetitiaPretorius@capitecbank.co.za

2 Tracey Govender Manager: Recoveries Administration TraceyGovender@capitecbank.co.za

Sincerely,

The Debt Review Team

086

066 7783

Table 2: Debt Review escalation channels

17.1, 17.2, Proposals, General correspondence:

debtcounselling@africanbank.co.za

To register for Legal Web Access: lwac@africanbank.co.za

Reckless Lending investigations:

debtcounselling@africanbank.co.za

RLA@africanbank.co.za

ESCALATION PROCESS

DETAILS COMING SOON

For more information about the escalation process please contact the call centre

DC QUERY PROCESS

NEDBANK DRRS

Debt Counselling Query Resolution Contact Points and Escalation Process

Email submissions (Level1)

Email: DebtCounsellingQueries@nedbank.co.za

To be used as a first point of contact for all written communication

Call centre (Level 1: Alternative)

Tel: 0860 109 279

Attended to by Queries Specialist (Level 2: First Escalation) dcescalation1@nedbank.co.za

To be used as a first point of contact for all telephonic communication

To be used only where no resolution is found from first point of contact after 5 business days

Attended to by Team Leader and Queries Specialist (Level 3: Second Escalation) dcescalation2@nedbank.co.za

To be used only where no resolution is found from the first escalation after 5 Business days

Attended to by Support and Escalation Manager (Level 4: Final escalation) nbdcescalations@nedbank.co.za

To be used only where no resolution is found from the second escalation after 5 Business days

www.nedbank.co.za

Courts

Reckless

Clearance

Customer

Complaints

Refunds

DreX