How women are transforming credit into a tool for empowerment

CREDIT has long had a bad reputation. For years, it’s been associated with financial distress, risky decisions, and debt traps. But South African women are rewriting that narrative. Through careful, deliberate borrowing, many are using credit as a too! for resilience — enabling education, covering unexpected emergencies, and building a more financially secure future for their families. More than 50% of credit granted in South Africa today goes to women.

- ALET GRIESEL

The country’s persistent gender pay gap, compounded by often unequal caregiving responsibilities, has made access to credit critical for many women-led households. Stats SA's latest General Household Survey reveals that 42.4% of households in South Africa are headed by women. Meanwhile, the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report shows that women typically earn between 23% and 35% less than men.

For these women — many of whom manage their household on a single income — credit is not a crutch, but a vital tool to help navigate life's pressures.

Responsible vs. irresponsible credit use