Although the ruling is not retrospective, debtors can have their garnishee orders scrutinised by a court.

The Western Cape High Court’s Judge Siraj Desai declared deductions taken from employees’ salaries for garnishee orders were illegal.

Fifteen consumers are in a bid to have their emolument attachment orders declared illegal on the grounds that they are unconstitutional.

Former AngloGold Ashanti chief executive Bobby Godsell has called for a ban on garnishee orders.

State inaction means many of the poorest South Africans are continuing to get a raw deal.

The upcoming elections may be driving the rush for amnesty and reform to the garnishee system.

Increasing consumer stress and slow growth have prompted a more careful approach to lending.

Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan has once again expressed deep concern about the level of consumer debt in the country.

The full extent of garnishee abuse is not known but a case study by law firm Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs has set alarm bells ringing.