‘Nothing left’: SRD recipient in Western Cape survives on R370 a month

Money goes straight to food but it’s rarely sufficient

Every cent of the grant, she told The South African, goes toward food and groceries, but it is rarely enough.

“It helps but it is not enough,”

she said. When asked what remained by the time the next payment arrived, her answer was blunt: nothing.

Administrative barriers and travel costs deepen the struggle

The South African reports the woman experienced a declined or lapsed application in the past. When she sought extra support from other programmes she was either turned down or gave up trying, the outlet says.

Living between five and twenty kilometres from her nearest SASSA office also adds costs: the transport money she cannot easily spare, especially when she is trying to travel to job interviews or hunt for work, The South African says.

Positive note on payment method and a simple demand

Despite the challenges, she rated her overall experience with SASSA as very good, according to The South African, and credited the direct bank deposit system for saving her the cost and hassle of collecting payments in person.

Her message to SASSA was simple: increase the grant amount. At R370 a month, she says the SRD grant falls far short of covering basic expenses, and for families like hers any increase could be the difference between going hungry and getting by, The South African reports.

Share your experience

The South African invites other SASSA grant recipients to share their stories and to take part in its survey for a chance to win R2 000, the outlet says.