Civil summonses issued for debt have increased, Statistics South Africa said on Thursday.
The total number of civil summonses issued for debt for the three months ended August 2009 increased by 16,1% compared with the three months ended August 2008, the Pretoria-based agency said.
The major contributors to the increase were civil summonses issued in respect of promissory notes, credit cards and other acknowledgements of debt (5,7 percentage points) money lent (4,6 percentage points), goods sold on an open account (2,4 percentage points) and ‘other debts’ (2,2 percentage points).
The ”other services” and rent categories were the only negative contributors, Statistics SA said.
There had also been a 17,6% increase in civil summonses issued for debt between August 2008 and August 2009, it said.
According to the agency, the number of civil judgements recorded for debt also increased.
”Following the trend in the number of civil summonses issued for debt, the total number of civil judgements recorded for debt for the three months ended August 2009 increased by 17,3% compared with the three months ended August 2008,” Statistics SA said.
Civil judgements in respect of money lent (10,3 percentage points) and professional services (3,3 percentage points) were the main drivers behind the increase.
There was also a 27,8% increase in civil judgements recorded for debt between August 2008 and August 2009
Statistics SA said the value of civil judgements recorded for debt had also risen.
”The total value of civil judgements recorded for debt for the three months ended August 2009 increased by 20,7% compared with the three months ended August 2008,” the agency said.
The major contributors to the increase were money lent (7,3 percentage points), rent (3,3 percentage points) and other services (3,1 percentage points).
The ”other debts” category was the only negative contributor (-1,5 percentage points).
Statistics SA said during August 2009, 67 599 civil judgements for debt amounting to R656,3-million were recorded.
The largest contributors were civil judgements relating to money lent (R237,9-million), ”other debts” (R93,4 million), other services (R79,1-million) and promissory notes and other acknowledgements of debt (R77-million).
There was also a 32,4% increase in the value of civil judgements recorded between August 2008 and August 2009, Statistics South Africa said. — Sapa