National Credit Act amendments will worsen youth unemployment: SAUS

The South African Union of Students (SAUS) has expressed concern about the proposed amendments to the National Credit Act, saying the situation will worsen unemployment among the youth.

The Trade, Industry and Competition Department has suggested a provision that will allow credit bureaus to record education-related debt, including student loans.

SAUS spokesperson Thato Masekoa has warned that this could lead to the blacklisting of students, which would affect their employment prospects.

Masekoa says, “The proposal on its own is anti-progressive, anti-poor, anti-middle class, anti those who come from unwell families and it seeks further to exclude the young people who are literally from poor backgrounds from accessing and being active participants of the economy.”