South African consumer spending is set to strike 2.2 percent in 2010 from -2.7 percent this year, but it will not signal a return to the boom days, said chief economist from Econometrix, Azar Jammine, on Tuesday.

Speaking at an investment function at the War Museum in Rosebank, Jammine said that the burden on household debt has fallen in the last year and a half in line with the 5 percent cut in rates in the past 10 months, taking debt to disposable income from 10.5 percent to 5.5 percent. This would take it to the lowest level since 1980.

"This surely should come to the rescue of consumers," said the economist. "It should help little by little."

"There should be some stabilisation and a little economic recovery next year, but it will not be boom days," said Jammine.