Janu-worry | Another year and deeper in debt

EAST LONDON - The reality of a new year has sunk in for consumers. Many people who have not saved for the beginning of 2024, are now standing in queues to borrow money.

READ: Tips to help you maintain your cashflow in 'Januworry'

In the Eastern Cape, small business owners are also feeling the impact.

January is considered a month of survival of the fittest.

Many working-class families are grappling to make ends meet, especially after over-spending during the festive season.        

Many in the snaking queues outside cash lenders and banks were reluctant to speak on camera.

But small business owners told eNCA that they are reluctant to borrow money as they will struggle to pay their debt.

With January expected to be a very long month, some are left with no choice but to borrow as a means of survival.