"Just For Now": SA Urges Parliament to Push for R600 Increase to SASSA Pension Grant

• Parliament has been urged to advocate for a R600 increase in the SASSA old-age grant for pensioners
• The proposed boost would raise the monthly payment from R2 400 to R3 000 for qualifying recipients
• South Africans have reacted strongly to the proposal, with many calling for even larger increases

Parliament has been urged by South Africans to push for a significant increase to South Africa's SASSA old-age grant. A call has been made for the monthly payment to be raised by R600, which would take the grant from its current R2 400 to R3 000 per month.

The push comes as South Africans continue to battle rising living costs, with food, electricity, and municipal bills placing enormous strain on pensioners across the country. Many elderly South Africans depend on the grant as their primary source of income, and advocates argue the current amount falls far short of what is needed to cover basic needs.

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Grant increase could ease burden on SA pensioners

The South African shared the news on Facebook on 28 October 2026. Many commenters welcomed the idea but felt the proposed amount did not go far enough.

Some called for additional relief measures, such as exempting pensioners from paying VAT on municipal and electricity bills. Others pointed out that grandparents in South Africa often carry the financial responsibility of entire households, making adequate grant funding critical.

View the Facebook post here.

Mzansi reacts to the SASSA proposal

South Africans in the comments had a lot to say on the page:

Nomonde Olga Blaauw said:

"R5000 finish and klaar [done and that's it]."

Jeffrey Lawrence commented:

"It can work if all pensioners are exempted from paying VAT and rates."

Henry Ade Adendorff wrote:

"Ok. Take now, it is better than nothing. For now, just for now. Then we will go next year for another increase."

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SASSA grant reviews leave thousands facing payment suspensions across SA

Louis Olivier added:

"Yes R6000 for the pensioners and the disabled people."

Nicholas Jordaan said:

"If passed and approved, tell us from when. Ramaphosa must use his famous words in family gatherings during COVID time 'with immediate effect' even backdated!!!"

Mike Stilwell noted:

"I would think a R600 increase would be reasonably affordable for government."

Maureen Ntwendala shared:

"That will be great, grandfather and grandmother are the feeders of many homes in SA."

More Briefly News stories on SASSA

• SASSA warns grant beneficiaries who ignore review notices could lose payments, and confirms adjusted November 2026 payment dates for the Local Government Elections.
• SASSA now reviews around 500,000 grant recipients monthly, with a three-month warning process before payments can be suspended or grants cancelled.
• SASSA has changed its November 2026 grant payment dates ahead of local elections, with millions receiving grants earlier and needing to budget for longer.

Source: Briefly News