Do you have a South African residential address? If not you will not be able to FICA.
Yes i do indeed have residential status.
Yes, i agree that building capital is is far more attractive to lending and i am headed that way.
Coming from ovreseas where interest rates are minimal my understanding of debt may be a little different. Almost to the point point where it is an asset (2.4% interest pa is free money). I have set aside a good amount of capital that is bringing cashflow enough to pay for items on credit.
Thus i cant see too many downsides in using that flow to fund much needed independence etc.
Also when buying something on credit that deposit would be as big as i could afford, understanding the effects of compounding especially in the first two years.
Banks, i agree are master manipulators and the products they offer are there to make them money- society is structured around it, after all it is how money is made and funds an economy. Interest is a hungry dog but it is sometimes necessary in gaining assets.
There are levels to which debt is manageable and having studied finance i should hope to know how to calculate that limit.
Maybe my view of debt being an investment is a little off but i am still learning and the hard way so far has been a good teacher.