“This Cannot Work”: Mzansi Reacts As Pensioners Protest at SASSA Offices for Grant Increase
- Pensioners gathered outside the SASSA office in Athlone, Cape Town, on 7 September 2026 to demand a grant increase
- The Pensioners of South Africa movement led the nationwide protest, arguing that R2,400 is not enough to live on
- South Africans were divided online, with some backing the elderly and others questioning whether the demand is realistic
PAY ATTENTION: Mark Briefly News as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
Source: Facebook
Elderly South Africans took to the streets on Monday, 7 September 2026, gathering outside SASSA offices across the country to demand that the old-age grant be raised from R2,400 to R5,000. The Athlone SASSA office in Cape Town was one of the focal points of the action, where protesters held up signs reading “Respect Our Elders - Enough Is Enough.”
The demonstrations were organised by the Pensioners of South Africa (POSA), a movement founded in January 2026 by Chef JC Alex and his wife, Calveen Edwards, after they saw firsthand how difficult life had become for older members of their own family.
According to a report by Tabletalk, the movement says that the current grant is swallowed almost entirely by food, electricity, water and transport, leaving many pensioners with next to nothing. POSA also pointed out that a large number of elderly South Africans support grandchildren and unemployed relatives, stretching an already thin income even further.
“Our seniors made South Africa what it is today, yet they are feeling completely forgotten,” Alex said in the report.
PAY ATTENTION: You can now search for all your favourite news and topics on Briefly News.
“They fought for everybody in government, but today, nobody is fighting for them. We started this movement to stand in solidarity with our elders and give them their voices back.”
Nationwide pickets across South Africa
Picketers were called to gather between 12pm and 2pm at SASSA offices in dozens of communities. In the Western Cape alone, protests were planned in Athlone, Paarl, Atlantis, Bellville, Delft, Eerste River, Fish Hoek, Manenberg and Mitchells Plain. Other gatherings took place in Gqeberha, East London, Durban, Rustenburg and Johannesburg, among others.
The movement described R5,000 as the minimum needed for older persons to meet their basic needs with dignity.
Pensioners of South Africa later shared a Facebook post thanking all the seniors who came out, calling the day a first step and promising that the next one would “shock the world.”
Watch the protest outside the Athlone SASSA office as captured by The Feed CPT on Instagram here.
Source: Facebook
Mzansi divided over the R5,000 demand
The video sparked a heated conversation online, with South Africans holding very different views:
@chantz_cornelissen said:
“Unfortunately, this cannot work. As we, as taxpayers, are paying the taxes and can hardly survive. So it’s an unfortunate no from me.”
@brulene wrote:
“You know what, fair enough. Most of the elderly are the ones helping their children/grandchildren still at this old age, going to the clinic and hospital often, having to see specialists often, eating special diets, and subscribing to chronic medications. It seems fair to just raise it, if not even match their demands.”
@miss_celaneous commented:
“This is why we need to talk about provisions for retirement at an early age. It’s a topic not talked about enough in our communities.”
@sire_mashido added:
“R5K? That’s a salary for other people. Nah, that’s not going to happen. No ways. 🤦🏿”
More stories involving SASSA grants
- Nicky Jafta, a 60-year-old Kraaifontein resident, started farming during the COVID-19 pandemic with only his SRD grant money.
- Makro currently offers the lowest chicken price among major national retailers, selling a 5kg IQF bag for R198.95.
- Loraine Karam, a Gauteng pensioner who owns her home outright, says her R2,400 SASSA grant is never enough to last the month.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
Source: Briefly News
