South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) beneficiaries face a frustrating delay in receiving their November grants. The agency has confirmed that payments will commence a week later than usual, leaving millions waiting an extra six days for their much-needed funds.
The revised payment schedule is as follows:
- Older persons grant: 5 November
- Disability grants: 6 November
- Children's grant: 7 November
This delay comes despite the recent announcement of a second increase to certain grants, following an initial adjustment in April 2024. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, during his February 2024 Budget Speech, detailed these increases, which began rolling out in October. However, not all grants have received a second increase; some remain unchanged following the April adjustments.
The October increases are as follows:
- Old-age pension: A further R10 increase, bringing the monthly amount to R2 190 for recipients aged 60-74 and R2 210 for those over 75.
- Disability Grant: A further R10 increase, resulting in a new monthly amount of R2 190.
- Care Dependency Grant: A further R10 increase, also resulting in a new monthly amount of R2 190.
- War Veterans Grant: A further R10 increase, bringing the new monthly amount to R2 210.
This news will undoubtedly impact the approximately 29 million South Africans reliant on Sassa for social welfare. This substantial figure encompasses 4 million old-age pensioners, 13 million childcare beneficiaries, 10 million Social Relief of Distress (SRD) recipients, and approximately 2 million disability and war veterans.
Beneficiaries typically receive their payments through various channels, including selected supermarkets (Pick n Pay, Boxer, USave, Checkers, and Shoprite), using their Sassa card, via CashSend, or by direct bank transfer. The usual payment schedule prioritises elderly, child, and disability grants in the first week of the month, followed by SRD grants and other grants. All beneficiaries, except SRD recipients, can also collect their payments at South African Post Office branches.
Earlier this year, Minister Godongwana announced significant permanent increases to Sassa grants, designed to counteract inflation and improve accessibility. These increases, detailed in his 2024 Budget Speech, included:
- A R100 increase to old-age, war veterans, disability, and care dependency grants (divided into R90 from April and R10 from October).
- A R50 increase to the foster care grant.
- A R20 increase to the child support grant.
- A R20 (or 5.7%) increase to the social relief of distress grant, effective from April 1st.
These increases, impacting roughly 26 million grant recipients, represent a total annual expenditure of R266 billion. The government's commitment to these increases underscores the importance of social grants in supporting vulnerable populations.
The unexpected delay in November's payments will undoubtedly cause hardship for many recipients. Sassa has not yet provided a detailed explanation for the delay. For further inquiries, beneficiaries are urged to contact Sassa directly:
- Sassa Toll-Free Call centre: 0800 60 10 11
- Sassa Head Office: 012 400 2322
- Email: Grantsenquiries@sassa.gov.za
- Sassa offices across the country: Contact details are available on the Sassa website. The delay in payments, coupled with the complexities of the grant system, highlights the ongoing challenges faced by millions of South Africans reliant on social welfare.
