Benay Sager, head of DebtBusters, says over the past six years a material decline in disposable income and a higher debt burden have been contributing to the financial challenges many South Africans are facing. The latest DebtBusters Debt Index for the first quarter of 2022 indicates that, in real terms, South Africans now have 31% less disposable income than six years ago and this, in addition to a higher debt burden, is fuelling an increased demand for debt counselling.