Finance minister announces increases to SASSA grants

In the 2023 budget speech held last week, finance minister Enoch Godongwana announced inflation-linked increases to social grants paid by the South African Social Security Agency.

Godongwana said that an additional R66 billion would be allocated to Social Development over the medium term, with R36 billion being allocated to fund the extension of the Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress grant (SRD) until 31 March 2024.

The remaining R30 billion will be used for inflation-linked increases for other social grants, which means SASSA grant recipients will receive the following amounts:

The older-persons grant (old-age pension) will increase to:
R2 090 for recipients between 60 and 74 years old (it will increase by R90 on 1 April and an additional R10 on 1 October) – the current amount is R1 990 and R2 110 for recipients over 75 years old (it will increase by R90 on 1 April and an additional R10 on 1 October) – the current amount is R2 010.

The disability grant will increase to R2 090 (it will increase by R90 on 1 April and an additional R10 on 1 October) – the current amount is R1 990.

The child-support grant will increase to R510 (it will increase by R20 on 1 April and an additional R10 on 1 October) – the current amount is R480.

The child-support grant top-up will increase to R250 (it will increase by R10 on 1 April and no further increase on 1 October) – the current amount is R240.

The foster-child grant will increase to R1 130 (it will increase by R50 on 1 April and an additional R10 on 1 October) – the current amount is R1 070.

The care-dependency grant will increase to R2 090 (it will increase by R90 on 1 April and an additional R10 on 1 October) – the current amount is R1 990. This grant is a payment to parents, foster parents, or primary care-givers, of a child under the age of 18, who requires full-time care due to a mental or physical disability. The child must be receiving permanent home care and not be receiving care at a state-funded institution.

The war-veterans grant will increase to R2 110 (it will increase by R90 on 1 April and an additional R10 on 1 October) – the current amount is R2 010.