HOW OFTEN IS AMPS UPDATED?

The AMPS field work is conducted twice a year, but the data is not always released twice per year.

It usually comes out in September of the year of the survey. The data on the Eighty20 Portal is always the most recent data.

Certain databases are proprietary, and access is restricted by the owner. FinScope and FutureFact are examples. Please contact us if you would like access to these databases.

The XDS Credit Database contains aggregated information on all credit users in South Africa. This database allows users to see the distributions of credit products and users by age, gender, income, presage score, credit holdings, impairment and arrears status.

XDS CREDIT DATA DEFINITIONS

Short-term credit:
An agreement that meets all the criteria as set out in section 39 (2) of the National Credit Regulations. This includes amounts not exceeding R8 000 and repayable within 6 months.

Secured (other) credit:
A secured credit agreement, excluding mortgages and credit facilities. E.g. Vehicle finance, furniture accounts, pension-backed loans.

Unsecured credit:
This includes all transactions in respect of which the lender does not have any security (other than credit facilities or short-term credit).

Credit facilities:
An agreement that meets all the criteria as set out in section 8 (3) of the NCA. Credit facilities consist mainly of credit cards, store cards and bank overdrafts.

Judgements:
A judgment is a court order requested by your credit provider when you have not paid your debt

Debt review:
Debt review is the process whereby a debt counsellor assesses your outstanding debts, consults with credit providers on your behalf and assists the client in establishing an affordable monthly payment plan that incorporates both earning and living expenses. Debt review requires you to make one monthly payment, which is then divided and distributed to all your credit providers. Note: If you feel over-indebted, you can choose to apply for debt review. Once under debt review you no longer have access to credit.

Admin Orders:
This is a court order granted by a Magistrates Court at the request of you the debtor or a credit provider, provided that your debt does not exceed R 50 000. The order examines your financial position and appoints an administrator to whom you make regular payments. These payments are divided proportionately amongst your creditors as listed on your order.

Adverse listing:
When you have not honoured your agreement with a credit provider, they will then add a default (adverse) listing to your credit bureau report. Each credit grantor has its own debt collection policies.

Impaired:
A record on which a consumer and/or any of the accounts, are either classified as three or more payments or months in arrears, or which has an “adverse listing”, or that reflects a judgment or administration order.

Sequestration:
The action of taking legal possession of assets until a debt has been paid or other claims have been met.

Arrears:
Your account will be marked ‘arrears’ if you are 3 months or more in arrears.

Retail general:
An account from any retailer, excluding clothing and furniture retailers (e.g. Jewellery stores, woman’s cosmetic stores).

Financial other:
Any other credit facility. (e.g. student loan, pension backed loan)

Microloan:
An unsecured loan issued by a member of Micro Finance South Africa

Personal loan:
An unsecured loan issued by a member of the Credit Providers Association

ANSWERS TO PREVIOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT XDS DATA: 

Q: In the employment classification, what is included in “formal sector”? And would “retail unskilled” be the cashiers etc, but excl management?

A: The employment classification field is derived from the borrower’s stated employer. We looked at all the large employers on the database, grouped them into usable terms (PnP, Pick ‘n Pay, Pick & Pay, etc), and classified them based on our knowledge of the various industries. Formal includes all large employers that do not fall into any other category. Often we could distinguish between a head office and a store, which gave us a fuzzy indicator of “retail unskilled”.

Q:  Is the income measure total gross income before tax, or are there any deductions that have already been made from these numbers, such as tax?

A:  The income measure is based on XDS’s model of gross income, you would need to contact XDS directly for their calculations

Q: I see that there are debt-income and instalment-income ratios for some of the earlier years, but not for 2015. Are you planning to add this to the 2015 data as well?

A: The debt-income and instalment-income (and some others) will be included in the upcoming iteration, contact us to check on progress

Q: How can people with no income have loans?

A: These people could be retired, working in the informal sector or living with another person who is the primary breadwinner. It could also be someone who has lost their job recently.

The SAARF® AMPS® survey stands for All Media and Product Survey.

AMPS covers the adult (15+) population of South Africa. The database is split into two sections: Household and Individual. The Household section is also included in the individual database.

AMPS offers data on:

  • Use of the mass media including all available radio and television stations, all the major newspapers and suburban “free sheets”, and most major magazines. Special interest consumer magazines are also included
  • “Outdoor”, e.g. billboards and trailer advertising, as well as cinemas are covered
  • Detailed questions on consumption of dozens of personal, food and household products
  • Lifestyle psychographics on activities and interests, holidays and shopping patterns
  • Ownership of motor vehicles and use of transport including business and holiday travel
  • Ownership of large and small durable items
  • Household details on structure, utilities, and facilities (includes pets)
  • Use of financial services and products (Insurance, Health, Credit Cards)
  • Language read and spoken
  • Communications- cell phone, telephone (Limited)
  • Basic questions on Internet usage
  • Alcohol brands
  • Television ownership and viewership
  • Ownership of large and small durable items including recent purchases

FutureFact is an ongoing multi-dimensional research project, a joint venture between researchers, planners, analysts and futurists, subscribed to or sponsored by several leading South African companies. It was started in 1998 by a group of independent South African researchers who used their knowledge of the South African market to dig deeper into what motivates, guides, inspires and transforms South Africans.

FutureFact offers data on:

  • Media usage (TV, radio, printed media)
  • Social statistics (leisure-time activities, type of music enjoyed, sports activities, clubs, etc.)
  • Income and ownership of assets (banking, health, insurance and investments, durable items)
  • Stores visited including who does shopping and distance to shops
  • Transportation issues and ownership, including vehicle make and plans to purchase
  • Psychographics, marriage details, trusted spokespeople, self-image
  • Household details and facilities including electricity
  • Language
  • Communications- cell phone, telephone

The Income and Expenditure Survey was conducted by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) between September 2010 and August 2011 (IES 2010/2011). It is based on a combination of diary and recall methods of capture. The first survey was conducted in 2005/2006.

Household database offers data on:

  • Head of household demographics
  • Household descriptions
  • Purchase Type and Area
  • List of Income and Expenditure right down to details
  • Supported Persons

Persons database offers data on:

  • Demographics
  • Income and income sources
  • Smoking and Cigarettes.