New data by Standard Bank finds that around 200,000 households in South Africa earn an income, after tax of more than R1 million.

The bank found that around 136,000 households earned an average salary of R1 785 895, while 66,000 homes earned an average of as much as R5 399 102 annually.

Overall, however, 94.5% of households in the country have negative net incomes, with the poorest showing the largest deficit in net income.

Only 5.5% of South African households – those within the three highest income brackets – potentially have the ability to save each month, the bank said.

Standard Bank pointed out that low income households already have very low disposable income before any expenditure is deducted.

Standard Bank used a simple equation – expenditure per household versus income net of taxes, to assess affordability and the savings patterns of South African households.

Standard Bank, using data from the Bureau of Market Research (BMR), puts the annual income classification of the South African consumer at the following:

Annual income Monthly income Classification R0 – R19,000 R0 – R1,583 Lowest R19,001 – R86,000 R1,584 – R7,167 Second lowest R86,001 – R197,000 R7,168 – R16,417 Low emerging middle R197,001 – R400,000 R16,418 – R33,333 Emerging middle R400,001 – R688,000 R33,334 – R57,333 Lower middle R688,001 – R1,481,000 R57,334 – R123,417 Upper middle R1,481,001 -R2,360,000 R123,418 – R196,667 Upper income/Emerging affluent R2,360,001+ R196,668+ Affluent

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