Pensioners in South Africa expressed their dissatisfaction after the SASSA Old-Age Grant announcement revealed its 2026 payment increase because the grant increase falls short of their needs. The beneficiaries explain that the minor payment increase fails to provide sufficient financial support during the ongoing national economic downturn. The Old-Age Grant serves as an essential financial lifeline which enables millions of elderly South Africans to obtain basic necessities including food and medication and transportation and essential household expenses.
The national budget establishes annual grant value increases as standard practice, but the 2026 announcement has faced criticism because it failed to match inflationary costs and price developments.
What the 2026 Increase Entails
The national budget presented by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced that the Old-Age Grant will raise its monthly payment to R2,400 for most pensioners starting from April 2026 after an R80 grant increase. The social grants system introduced a complete package of updates which included equivalent payment increases for all existing social grants plus the Disability and Care Dependency grants.
Pensioners challenge the official grant increases which exceed 3.4 percentage points because they believe actual living expenses for essential food items and medicine and utility services are increasing more quickly than the grant increases can cover. The ongoing inflation of essential goods in South Africa creates a financial burden on households which depends on limited income sources.
The response from pensioners and advocacy organizations
Pensioners have expressed frustration that the grant increase does not provide enough financial support to improve their economy. Some people argue that R80 which they receive as monthly extra payment does not provide sufficient funds to handle their usual daily expenses. Advocacy groups and civil society organisations which work directly with older citizens have shared this same opinion.
Critics believe that the government should have provided bigger grant increases because many communities which experience high unemployment face economic instability. The complete cost-of-living adjustments which they need to protect older South Africans should be provided as their dignity and wellbeing needs protection.
Broader Social Grant Context
The government budget for 2026/27 allocated more than R292 billion to social grants despite the Old-Age Grant increases being small because it covers the entire social grant system. The funding covers all grant categories including disability and war veterans and child support and foster grants while the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant remains frozen at R370 per month.
The government present this increase as responsible because it matches economic conditions and fiscal limits yet beneficiaries believe that more assistance is required to help elderly South Africans who face financial difficulties.
Also Read : NSFAS 2026 Funding Update: Eligibility, Status Checks And Appeals Guide