Civil summonses issued for debt have increased, Statistics SA said on Thursday.

The total number of civil summonses issued for debt for the three months ended April 2009 increased by 15.6 percent compared with the three months ended April 2008.

According to Statistics SA, the major contributors to the increase were civil summonses issued in respect of goods sold on an open account (4.2 percentage points), money lent (4.0 percentage points), promissory notes and other acknowledgements of debt (3.1 percentage points) and professional services (3.0 percentage points).

The "other services" category was the only negative contributor (with -0.7 of a percentage point).

Statistics SA added that the number of civil judgements recorded for debt increased.

"The total number of civil judgements recorded for debt for the three months ended April 2009 was 6.6 percent higher compared with the three months ended April 2008," the Pretoria-based agency said.

Civil judgements in respect of money lent (5.9 percentage points) and professional services (2.9 percentage points) were the main drivers behind the 6.6 percent increase.

Statistics SA said that the value of civil judgements recorded for debt had also increased.

"The total value of civil judgements recorded for debt for the three months ended April 2009 increased by 13.1 percent compared with the three months ended April 2008," the agency noted.

The major contributors to the 13.1 percent increase were money lent (11.2 percentage points), other services (1.9 percentage points), professional services (1.8 percentage points) and rent (1.6 percentage points).

During April 2009, some 55 523 civil judgements for debt amounting to R566.9-million were recorded.

According to Statistics SA, the largest contributors to the R566.9-million were: Civil judgements relating to money lent (R216.4-million); "Other debts" (R92.7-million); Goods sold on an open account (R60.6-million) and promissory notes and other acknowledgements of debt (R55.9-million).

Sapa

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