Many households are struggling to repay their loans, and unsecured debt is on average 32 percent higher than it was five years ago. According to the DebtBusters' fourth quarter Debt Index released YESTERDAY (Thursday 4 February), debt -to-income ratio is at 130 percent. This is its highest level in years as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and the measures implemented to curb the spread of the virus. Head of Debtbusters, Benay Sager, says borrowing has increased by 32 percent to supplement eroding incomes due to salary cuts and job losses.