How the 2026 Budget affects South African families

With South Africa’s Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, set to deliver the 2026 Budget Speech, the focus shifts to the real-life implications for families grappling with high costs and stagnant wages. Insights from Debt Rescue’s CEO, Neil Roets, highlight the urgent need for government action to alleviate financial pressures on households The stage is set forSouth Africa’s Minister of Finance,Enoch Godongwana, to deliver the2026 Budget Speechon Wednseday. While the national budget outlines the bigger picture on the country’s finances,behind every line item and deficit figure that Godongwana will address, are real people, families who are stretched to the very limit by high prices, stagnant wages and mounting debt repayments.

behind every line item and deficit figure that Godongwana will address, are real people, families who are stretched to the very limit by high prices, stagnant wages and mounting debt repayments. This was according to Neil Roets, CEO of Debt Rescue, who said how acutely aware he is of how every decision made will affect household incomes. Roets said, “At Debt Rescue we are on the frontline of the consumer struggle.Starting with the unemployment crisis, the reality is that growth at around 1.5% is simply not enough to solve the problem.

In hisState of the Naiton (Sona)address,President Cyril Ramaphosahighlighted that job creation is being addressed through infrastructure development with Government committing over a trillion rand to infrastructure over the next year.” At Debt Rescue we are on the frontline of the consumer struggle. Starting with the unemployment crisis, the reality is that growth at around 1.5% is simply not enough to solve the problem. In hisState of the Naiton (Sona)address,President Cyril Ramaphosahighlighted that job creation is being addressed through infrastructure development with Government committing over a trillion rand to infrastructure over the next year.” “Unemployment programs like thePresidential Employment Stimulushave created 2.5 million opportunities for jobs.

[paywall]

We understand that, for struggling households even temporary employment can make the difference between making their monthly expenses or falling even further behind in their payments.Nearly 30% of South Africans rely on some or other form of social grant to keep out of food poverty,” Roets told Business Report. “Unemployment programs like thePresidential Employment Stimulushave created 2.5 million opportunities for jobs. We understand that, for struggling households even temporary employment can make the difference between making their monthly expenses or falling even further behind in their payments.

Nearly 30% of South Africans rely on some or other form of social grant to keep out of food poverty,” Roets told Business Report. He added that while the President stated government’s intention to link social support to employment programmes like the expanded public works programmes, the fact is that people need stable long-term employment to restore their financial dignity, rather than relying on government handouts.

[/paywall]