Documents
Your ID, proof of income and banking details, and how to share them safely.
Loan requirements: who can apply and what you’ll need
Check the basics first. Meeting them lets you apply; the identity, credit and affordability checks decide the outcome.
- 18 or older
- South African ID
- Own bank account
- Regular income
You can apply if you
- Are 18 or older and live in South Africa
- Have a valid South African ID: a smart ID card or a green barcoded ID book
- Have a South African bank account in your own name, which your income is paid into
- Earn a regular income you can show with recent payslips or bank statements
- Can afford the repayment after your living expenses and other debt repayments
- Have your own cellphone number and email address
Meeting the basics is not approval
These are the minimum conditions to apply. Every application still goes through identity, credit and affordability checks, and the result can be a smaller amount or a decline.
Details to have ready
You enter these on the application service, not on this website. More about documents.
- Your ID
- Your ID number exactly as it appears on your smart ID card or ID book. You may be asked to confirm your identity with a photo or a check against official records during the application.
- Proof of income
- Recent payslips, bank statements, or both. The application service tells you exactly which period it needs. Some applicants can share statements directly from their bank with their consent.
- Bank account
- An account in your own name at a South African bank. The loan is paid into it and the repayments are collected from it.
- Monthly expenses
- An honest list of what you spend each month: rent or bond, transport, food, school costs, airtime, support for family, and repayments on other credit.
- Contact details
- A cellphone number and an email address that only you use. Your quote and agreement are sent to them.
Situations where a RandLeaf loan isn’t possible
- You are under 18
- You are under debt review, have applied for it, or your estate is sequestrated
- You don’t have a regular income that you can show
- The bank account is not in your own name, or it is a foreign or business account
- You already have an active RandLeaf loan
- The repayment would leave you without enough for your essential expenses
We would rather say no than lend you money you will struggle to repay. If you are already behind on other accounts, a new loan usually makes things harder.
How we decide whether a loan fits your budget
The National Credit Act requires every lender to check that you can afford new credit before lending. We look at three things together:
- What comes in
- Your take-home income after tax and deductions, as shown on your payslip or bank statement.
- What goes out
- Your regular living expenses and the repayments you already make on other credit.
- What is left
- The new repayment has to fit into what is left, with room for ordinary surprises.
That is why we ask about expenses and not only income. Two people who earn the same can have very different amounts left at the end of the month.
Lenders may ask for different documents to show income. There is no single list that the law requires from everyone, so the application service will tell you what it needs from you.
How much a first loan can be
A first loan goes up to R2 000 on a short-term loan, R5 000 on an instalment loan and R10 000 on a personal loan. After you have fully repaid a RandLeaf loan you can apply for up to each loan’s maximum. A higher limit is never automatic.
| Loan | Amount | First loan up to | Term | Repayments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short-term loan | R500–R3 000 | R2 000 | 1 month | One |
| Instalment loan | R1 000–R8 000 | R5 000 | 2–6 months | Equal monthly instalments |
| Personal loan | R5 000–R20 000 | R10 000 | 7–12 months | Equal monthly instalments |
Check you’re ready
- I have my ID number and my ID card or book with me
- I have a recent payslip or bank statement
- I know my monthly expenses and other credit repayments
- I have used the calculator and the repayment fits my budget
- My bank account is in my own name
RandLeaf’s own online application service isn’t open yet. Until it is, the Apply online button takes you to a partner’s application through the LeadGid affiliate network. How the partner route works.
About eligibility
Can I apply with a poor credit record?
You can apply. We check your credit record as part of every assessment, and adverse information can lead to a smaller amount or a decline. We don’t advertise loans for people who are “blacklisted”, and nobody can lend responsibly without a credit check.
I’m self-employed or my income changes. Can I apply?
The application service explains which proof of income it can accept. Irregular income is harder to assess, so we can’t promise every type of income will be considered.
Do I need three payslips?
Not necessarily. Lenders choose how they confirm income, and the application service tells you exactly what we need. It might be payslips, bank statements or both.
Can I use my partner’s bank account?
No. The account must be in your own name. The money is paid into it and the repayments are collected from it under your own DebiCheck approval.
Does applying affect my credit record?
A lender’s credit check is recorded as an enquiry on your credit report. Applying with many lenders in a short time is not a good idea. What to do after a decline.
Related help
Bank verification
Why we confirm the account is yours, and what sharing statements means.
First loan
Limits, checks and timings for new customers.