A Mpumalanga pensioner says his biggest concern is not his own survival but his children’s future. The Older Person’s Grant recipient, who asked to remain anonymous, shared his story in The South African’s SASSA grant survey.
He has received the grant for three years. Five people depend on that single grant at home, and he says it simply does not stretch far enough.
Children’s future weighs on the pensioner
When asked about his biggest financial concern, the pensioner pointed to his children’s future.
That worry is rooted in a hard reality. Someone in his household has gone without food in the past month. He regularly struggles to make ends meet and runs out of money before the month ends.
He spends his grant on a mix of essentials, from food to everyday household costs. With several people relying on one income, every rand is already accounted for long before the next payment arrives.
Owning his home gives the family a roof over their heads, but it does not guarantee food on the table.
Still searching for work
The pensioner is unemployed and actively looking for work. He has experience in construction and general labour and says he is willing to relocate for the right opportunity.
He believes a job would give his family the security the grant alone cannot provide.
Long queues and waiting times at SASSA offices remain his biggest challenge with the grant system, although he says his payments have been straightforward. He rates SASSA’s communication with recipients as poor and has never applied for additional government support because he did not know what else was available.
His call for a bigger grant
The pensioner acknowledges that the grant helps his household.
“The grants does help a little bit,” he said.
However, he wants to see the amount rise.
“If it can be increased it will be better,” he added.
He suggested R5 000 a month would make a real difference for families like his. If he could change one thing about SASSA, he would increase the grant amount.
For now, he continues to stretch one grant across an entire household while hoping for a better future for his children.
Win R2 000 in the South African SASSA grant survey
If you receive a SASSA grant and want to share your story, we want to hear from you.
Take part in our survey and stand a chance to win R2 000. Your responses help us tell the stories that matter.