Are you a SASSA Grant beneficiary? If yes, then here is good news for you. According to the new budget, SASSA grant payments are going to increase this month, April, and in the future, from October. You will see an increment in different grants such as Old age, war veterans, disability and care dependency grants. The increment of R90 started in April and another R10 in October.
At the end of February during the government budget speech Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana disclosed that several SASSA social grants would be increased, except for the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic peak.
For pensioners under the age of 75, grants will increase by R90, rising from R2,090 to R2,180 in April, and then by an additional R10 to R2,190 starting from October 2024.
SASSA Grants May Increase Further or Not?
Godongwana recently announced in the National Assembly that the SASSA SRD grant will be increased from R350 to R370 as of April 2024. This increase follows a commitment from President Cyril Ramaphosa during this year’s State of the Nation Address that the SRD grants would be enhanced.
“I am pleased to announce that we have reached an agreement that, in the interim and subject to finalizing the comprehensive social security [program], we will increase the R350 to R370 by the 1st of April this year. This is part of the progressive realization of the basic rights of our people,” explained Godongwana.
The hike is intended to match the inflation rate, as stated by the minister. However, with the inflation rate recorded at 5.3% between January 2023 and January 2024, these increments may fall short. According to the latest food inflation report from the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy, released in December 2023, food and non-alcoholic beverage prices surged by 8.5% annually.
Future Plan for SASSA Grant Raise
The SRD grants are anticipated to be distributed until March 2025 and potentially beyond, with the government allocating R33.6 billion this year to sustain these relief measures.
Moreover, several other social grants have also witnessed increases this year. Starting in April, the old age, war veterans, disability, and care dependency grants will each receive a boost of R90. Additionally, in October, there will be an additional increment of R10. Furthermore, there will be a rise of R50 in the foster care grant and an increase of R20 in the child support grant.
New SASSA Grant Payment Increase 2024
| Grant Type | Value | Increase (2024) | Beneficiaries (as of Dec 2023) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foster Care | Current: R1,130 April 2024: R1,180 |
R50 (4.4%) | 222,317 |
| Child Support | Current: R510 April 2024: R530 |
R20 (3.9%) | 13,067,314 |
| Old Age (>75 years) | Current: R2,110 April 2024: R2,200 October 2024: R2,210 |
R100 (4.7%) | 3,999,326 |
| Old Age (<75 years) | |||
| Disability | 1,065,838 | ||
| Care Dependency | 161,826 | ||
| War Veterans | Current: R2,110 April 2024: R2,200 October 2024: R2,210 |
R100 (4.7%) | 10 |
To ensure changes can be implemented within the constraints of limited resources, the government plans to review the social security policy. It aims to complete a white paper on social security within three years. The Covid Social Relief of Distress grant will continue to be available to 8 million people each month for the rest of 2024–2025, with a monthly payment of R350.
Following this, the budget for social assistance will be reduced to R248 billion. As a result, the overall number of grant recipients is expected to decrease from 27.8 million in 2023–2024 to 19.7 million in 2026–2027. The final policy options for the grant replacement will prioritize sustainable livelihoods and job pathways.
Over the medium term, R61 billion has been allocated for employment programs, with an additional R7 billion earmarked for the Presidential Employment Initiative.
We thank you so much for the
Increase. Etlist my grandma will take medication properly. And it will help her a lot. Thank you again