1. Where you find the law(aka legislation, aka, statute aka Act) that specifies how long certain information can be listed on a credit bureau?
2. You certainly won’t find this information in the National Credit Act 34 of 2005 itself i.e. anywhere in this act itself ;
3. You will however find this information in the National Credit Regulations 2006, Chapter 3, sections 17(1) – (4)



4. Retention periods(How long will a credit bureau keep information listed on their systems?)



Categories of Consumer

Credit Information
Description		 Period for which

Information must be retained from date of commencement of the event
1. Details and results of disputes

lodged by consumers		 Number and nature of complaints

lodged and whether complaint was rejected.
No information pertaining to complaints upheld maybe displayed.		 18 months
2. Inquiries Number of inquiries made on a

consumer’s record, including the name of the entity / person who made the inquiry and a contact person if available		 2 years
3. Payment Profile Factual information pertaining to the

payment profile of the consumer		 5 years
4. Adverse information Qualitative information on consumer

behaviour		 1 year
5. Debt Restructuring As per section 86 of the Act, an order

given by the Court or Tribunal		 Until a clearance

certificate is issued
6. Civil court judgments Civil court judgments including default

judgment		 The earlier of 5 years

or until the judgment is rescinded by a court or

abandoned by the

credit provider in terms of section 86 of the Magistrates’ Court Act,
32 of 1944.
7. Administrations Orders As per the court order The earlier of 10 years

or until order is rescinded by a court
8. Sequestrations As per the court order The earlier of 10 years

or until rehabilitation order is granted
9. Liquidations As per the court order Unlimited period
10. Rehabilitation Orders As per the court order 5 years