Five things you might not know about SA’s youth consumer class

Loading player...
GUEST – Brandon de Kock - BrandMapp’s Director of Storytelling

Young South Africans between 18 and 37 years, internet-connected and living in households with incomes of R10k+ a month, now make up the majority of the country’s tax paying base. This ‘youth consumer class’, a blend of older Gen Zs and younger Millennials, were born into democracy and are now old enough to carry its weight. Their context is defined not just by Wi-Fi and WhatsApp, but by inequality, hustle culture, loadshedding, resilience, and hope.

While their counterparts in lower income communities are unfortunately still mired in the unending battle for educational and job opportunities, the country’s youth consumer class is largely well-educated or getting there, and 24% of them are already earning R20k per month or more. They are making smart decisions by choosing industries with growth potential, upskilling online, and leveraging digital tools to manage money, build personal brands, and work independently.
17 Jun 2025 5AM English South Africa Business News · Investing

Other recent episodes

Corporate Shake‑Ups: What SPAR, PIC & SAA Reveal About Leadership

Leadership advisor Andrew Woodburn joins us in studio to unpack the wave of executive and board instability across corporate South Africa — from SPAR’s sudden resignations to governance pressure at the PIC and ongoing turbulence at SAA. We explore succession gaps, interim CEO challenges, board accountability, investor confidence, and the…
20 Aug 1PM 30 min

Inside Exxaro’s 20% HY’26 Earnings Dip: Costs, Coal & the Road Ahead

Exxaro CEO Ben Magara unpacks the miner’s mixed half‑year performance: revenue up 7% and production up 11%, but headline earnings down 20% amid cost pressure and currency effects. We explore record safety results, stronger export volumes, the manganese acquisition, and Exxaro’s long‑term shift toward energy and future‑facing metals.
20 Aug 12PM 16 min

Rustenburg mayor raises alarm over rise in illegal mining

Rustenburg Executive Mayor Sheila Mabale-Huma has raised concerns over the growing threat of illegal mining in the North West town. Her warning follows the deaths of 14 illegal miners and injuries to scores of others at a disused mine in Nkaneng near Rustenburg. The incident has again highlighted the dangerous…
19 Aug 2PM 10 min

South Africans Under Pressure: Inside the Q2 2026 Debt Index

DebtBusters’ Benay Sager breaks down the latest Debt Index, revealing consumers still using 64% of their income to service debt, with high earners needing 103% just to stay afloat. We unpack the surge in unsecured credit, cost‑of‑living shocks, multi‑lender borrowing, and why debt counselling outcomes are improving despite rising financial…
19 Aug 1PM 8 min

DRDGOLD’s Big Year: Earnings Surge & Vision 2028 Takes Shape

DRDGOLD CEO Niël Pretorius unpacks a standout FY2026 performance, with revenue up 42%, operating profit up 83%, and major Vision 2028 infrastructure coming online. We explore production stability, the company’s debt‑free position, dividend uplift, and how new assets like the Daggafontein TSF and DP2 expansion reshape future output.
19 Aug 1PM 15 min