Consumer Information Centre

Better know the Experian South Africa bureau and the credit environment by watching our Know your Bureau video.

You may know Experian as one of the major credit bureaus in South Africa, registered with the National Credit Regulator (NCRCB16) to operate as a consumer credit bureau and full data hosting bureau.

The credit data management process is complex and there are various role players in the industry, from the data provider, to associations (like SACRRA) to the bureaus. Depending on the specific phase of the process, Experian can be a Responsible Party of the credit information or it can be an Operator.  When Experian is a Responsible Party, it means that it has certain responsibilities under data protection law to make sure that the data is used fairly and lawfully and that it remains protected. Experian also acts as the operator for its clients (when they request information from Experian) as well as for data providers (when they submit data to Experian).

Our function as a credit bureau and in processing your information for credit reporting purposes is governed by the National Credit Act and its Regulations (“NCA”). The NCA promotes transparency and fairness in the access to credit. It also promotes access to credit, responsible borrowing by consumers and the protection of consumers against reckless credit granting.

Experian, amongst others, processes personal information for credit reporting purposes. The Credit Bureau Association (or CBA) developed a POPIA Code of Conduct; this Code has been submitted to the Information Regulator, however, it is not yet issued.