Pensioner says R2,400 SASSA grant gone by month-end as costs bite

According to The South African, a Gauteng pensioner says the monthly SASSA Older Persons Grant of R2,400 is exhausted before the next payment arrives, highlighting the squeeze facing many older South Africans.

Money runs out despite owning a home

The pensioner, Loraine Karam, told The South African she owns her home outright and has no dependents beyond one other household member. She said the grant, which she has received for between three and five years, is paid into her Postbank account but does not stretch to cover living costs until the next payment.

Rising costs and essentials drain the grant

Karam said rising food costs and basic living expenses such as rates and upkeep eat into the grant. She reported that, despite the financial squeeze, no one in her household went without food in the past month, according to her account to The South African.

Calls for an increase and concerns about other grants

Speaking to The South African, Karam said she wants the SASSA grant increased. She also expressed frustration with the Child Support Grant, saying she believes the system is being abused and should be shut down.

Wider complaints about SASSA

Karam rated SASSA’s communication with recipients as very poor. The South African links that complaint to the experiences of many of the roughly 18 million South Africans who depend on social grants.

Reader engagement

The South African is inviting grant recipients to share their stories through a SASSA grant reader survey and is offering a R2,000 prize for participants, according to the report.

According to The South African, Karam’s account illustrates the gap between a fixed grant and the rising cost of living faced by many older people in South Africa.