“We now take an active interest in understanding the terms of the garnishees issued, and only allow them for maintenance orders,” says Mogaki. However, illegal garnishees are just a symptom of a much wider South African problem – people have too much debt. The company is hoping that, by offering financial education and ongoing support for its employees, it will have a meaningful effect on their lives and the way they manage money.
Since its inception three years ago, 26 442 employees have been through the Nkululeko programme and 2 484 have signed up for debt relief solutions or had their garnishees audited, which has resulted in R38 million saved on reduced interest rates. “It was a challenge to get people to come forward – we did a lot of work to destigmatise the programme and to let people know that it is not only lower income earners who have financial difficulties, it is all the way to senior level.”
Employees who have been through the programme become its greatest ambassadors as their peers can see how it has changed their lives. Awareness about the programme has been extended to family members. “We often find that it is the employee’s family that encourages them to undergo the programme as it benefits the whole family. Suddenly, there is money available that was not there before”.
Mogaki says that financial stress can lead to physical endangerment. “When you are working on a mine, you have to be alert and present. If you are worried about your finances and being plagued by loan sharks, it is difficult to remain focused, which is dangerous.”
However, Mogaki says the challenge now is keeping people from going back into debt. When 32-year-old truck operator Paul Mahlaela found out he was going to become a father, he decided it was time to take control of the debt that was leaving him impoverished. With debt repayments consuming 80% of his take-home pay, there was barely enough money to make ends meet, let alone provide for a child. “I needed to find a way to pay off my debts so that I could have enough money each month to provide for a newborn,” says Paul about his decision to join the Nkululeko programme. Paul had previously tried debt consolidation, but found that he just got further into debt. He admits that it was a tough decision to commit to debt counselling because he had to give up access to credit during the estimated five years of debt review, yet it has changed his life more than he expected.
By negotiating with his creditors, Nkululeko reduced his monthly debt repayments, leaving him with 50% of his salary as take-home pay. “Nkululeko deducts the money from my salary so I know the money in my bank account is actually mine to spend,” says Paul. “We are so happy not to access debt. It is a freedom not to owe anything to anyone. It was a bold move and it meant taking responsibility. It also helps that I have a partner who supports me in this decision because sometimes we have to do without some luxuries, but we are both much happier not living on credit.”
TAKE CONTROL of your wallet