Year-on-year growth in the value of outstanding credit balances in the South African household sector, comprising of instalment sales, leasing finance, mortgage loans, overdrafts, credit card debt, and general loans and advances (mainly personal loans and micro finance), slowed down further to 4,8% at the end of March 2014 from 5,6% and 5,2% respectively at the end of January and February. All major components of household credit balances showed lower year-on-year up to the end of the first quarter of the year. The demand for credit is projected to remain relatively subdued in the rest of the year.
