SASSA Social Grants Increase- April 2024

All SASSA’s grant Increase by South African Government April, 1, 2024. In his budget speech on Wednesday afternoon, February 21st, 2024, in Cape Town., Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced the good news of increasing SASSA grants.

“We are sensitive to the increase in the cost of living for the nearly 19 million South Africans who rely on these grants to make ends meet. In this regard, we have done as much as the fiscal envelope allows.”

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana

It is the second increment in the last six months, the last one was in October 2023. Millions of people are benefiting from SASSA grant get their livelihood fulfilled in this current rising prices of goods.

Among all the SASSA grants, this is the first time, the SRD grant has increased since its launching. The below reading will provide you the details and the amount of the grant, a beneficiary will receive from the 1^st of April, 2024.

Due to high inflation government has decided to increase all the SASSA grants in 2024. Below is the detail of every grant.

R100 has been increased in SASSA Disability Grant in 2024. It will processed in two steps.

Government has increase old age grant by an amount of R100. It will also be done in two phases.

Old age pension for individuals falling in the age gap of 60 to 75 will receive their pension in the following ways.

The old age grant for people who are above the age of 75 will get an increase in their grant as follows;

Government has increases Child Support Grant at a rate of R20. The grant is now R530. However, there is no increment in the top-up amount for children and is still R250. The net receiving amount, from April 2024, has become R780 for the recipient.

The Foster Child Grant has been incremented at an amount of R50 and the total grant of R1,180 will be received by the recipient from April 2024.

Like old age grant, the War Veteran Grant has also increased with R100. It will be granted in two phases.

The Care Dependency Grant has the same amount of R100 increment as the above one. It is also divided into two steps;

The good news is that Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant is no more R350. As the Finance Minister Enoch Gondowaga announced in his budget speech on March 13, 2024, the SRD will also be increased for the first time.

The SRD R350 grant will increase to R370 with 5.7% increment from April 2024.

The fascinating news is that the SRD grant has never been increased but now in 2024.

The below table presents the summary of SASSA grant increase in April 2024 and October 2024.

Grant	March 2024	April 2024	October 2024	Total Increase
Old Age Grant (60 to 75)	R2,090	R2,180	R2,190	R100 (4.8%)
Old Age Grant (75 & Above)	R2,110	R2,200	R2,210	R100 (4.7%)
Disability Grant	R2,090	R2,180	R2,190	R100 (4.8%)
Child Support Grant	R510	R530	–	R20 (3.9%)
War Veterans Grant	R2,110	R2,200	R2,210	R100 (4.7%)
Care Dependency Grant	R2,090	R2,180	R2,190	R100 (4.8%)
Foster Child Grant	R1,130	R1,180	–	R50 (4.4%)
SRD R350 Grant	R350	R370	–	R20 (5.7%)

NOTE: SASSA has released the new payment schedule for SRD R370. You can check yours at SASSA Status Check.

Government allocated R1.17 trillion for social grants and welfare services for the new period of Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF). It also encompasses the support for female, youth, and people suffering from any disability.

R217.1 billion in 2023-24 from the expenditure was allocated for social grants excluding COVID-19 SRD grant, says the National Treasury. It further added that due to high inflation the grant money will be increased to R259.3 billion in 2026-27.

18.8 million People receive the social grants (excluding SRD), and the number will raise to 19.7 million by 2026-27.  64.9 percent of the total expenditure alone was disbursed through child support and old age grants over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) period.

R33.6 billion is allocated in the budget for COVID-19 Social Distress of Relief (SRD). The budget is, however, fixed for the period up to March 2025. The extension decision of SRD is pending with no budget resources after March 2025.

The increase in social grants reflects government’s dedication to the welfare of its people. Despite the current inflation and a tight budget, the government’s decision is exemplary to provide relief for the people hit by this high cost of livings. The government is trying to break the poverty chain of the people and dispense the basic needs of them.

The initiative of increasing grants clearly reflects the government’s interest in the well-being of its people. The current financial crisis may have affected the government too along with people, but it is determined to eases the lives of its millions of people.

Happiness, prosperity, and dignity of its people is the utmost objective of the government.

In summary, the increase in SASSA grants in April 2024 is a much unexpected news which has brought relief and happiness for more than 18 million people. Like increments in other grants, the fortunate increase in SRD grant is the first in its history. It displays the government’s commitment to the well-being of the citizens.

In the economic crisis, the welfare of the people in the form of grant increase shows the dedication of the government for its people. It is endeavoring to alleviate the financial burden of the people and poverty in South Africa.