New rises in grant payouts have been made by the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), helping needy people with their money. Since October, SASSA has been sending these higher payments, making sure that people who are supposed to get handouts do so easily and on time.
A representative for SASSA, Paseka Letsatsi, recently talked about the new changes, how the payment process is being run, and what recipients can expect in the future in an interview.
SASSA Grant Payment Increase Breakdown
Starting with the old age pension, SASSA has slightly raised the amount of grants given to people who qualify. People younger than 75 used to get R2,180 a month, but starting in October, they now get R2,190.
The amount has gone up from R2,200 to R2,210 for people aged 75 and up. Even though this rise of only R10 per month may not seem like much, it is part of SASSA’s ongoing attempts to help people with money even though they have limited budgets.
Other grants that have seen this modest increase include:
- Disability Grant: Receives an additional R10.
- Care Dependency Grant: Also increased by R10.
- War Veterans Grant: Recipients receive an additional R10 as well.
It’s important to note that the Child Support Grant did not get more money in this change. The latest changes come after an earlier change in April 2024, when other types of grants were also raised.
Why the R10 Increase?
Even though living costs are going up, many people may wonder why the grant rises are only R10. Paseka Letsatsi said that the small increase was caused by funding limits that are managed by the Department of Social Development and the National Treasury. SASSA is in charge of these funds and must follow the rules and spending set by the government.
The total budget for South Africa’s social grants is R265 billion, which is a lot of money that will help millions of people through different types of grants. The National Treasury decides how much each grant can be raised by carefully looking at the economy and other factors.
SASSA Payment Process Improvements
SASSA has also set up a scheduled payment plan to make sure that the process of giving out grants goes quickly and that there aren’t too many people at the payment points at once. Payments are spread out over several days so that people, especially the old and crippled, don’t have to wait in line.
Payments are spread out over four days, from the second to the fourth of every month. Letsatsi says that the main goal of this method is to keep weak people from getting stuck in long lines with younger, stronger recipients, like those getting Child Support Grants.
Addressing Issues at Cash Pay Points
Recently, some grant recipients in rural areas have been worried about the closing of cash pay points, which made it impossible for many to get their grants in person. As a result, SASSA is rethinking its choices and trying to make sure that services can still be reached in places where there isn’t enough infrastructure.
People who live in remote areas may have a hard time traveling long distances to get handouts. Some have to spend up to R300 on transportation alone.
Letsatsi stressed that SASSA is dedicated to bringing services closer to people who receive grants in these places so that they don’t have to spend a lot of their grant money on transportation.
Encouragement to Use Bank Cards for Transactions
SASSA has been telling people who get aid to use their bank cards instead of taking out all of their cash at once. This step lowers the risk of theft and lets people get their money when they need it without having to carry around a lot of cash. The card can be used at many shops and ATMs, which makes it a better and more convenient choice for many.
Moving Forward
SASSA has been telling people who get aid to use their bank cards instead of taking out all of their cash at once. This measure reduces the theft risk and allows recipients SASSA’s payment method has changed a lot over the years.
This makes sure that vulnerable people continue to get the money they need, even when times are tough. Even though the grant raises are small, they are part of a larger attempt to keep the country’s social aid program within its budget. Improving service delivery, especially for people in remote places, is still a top goal for SASSA.
As the economy changes, many people will hope for bigger raises in the future. For now, though, SASSA is focused on getting the funds to the right places safely and quickly. People who get grants are told to use their cards to pay for things and trust that their grants will stay safe and easy to get.to withdraw money when necessary without carrying large amounts of cash. The card can be used at many shops and ATMs, which makes it a better and more convenient choice for many.
