A Gauteng man in his late fifties spends his monthly Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant almost entirely on medical expenses. He shared his story with The South African through its SASSA grant survey and asked to remain anonymous.
He has received the R370 SRD grant for less than a year. SASSA pays the grant to unemployed South Africans who have no other source of income. For him, it has become the money that keeps his healthcare going.
Medical costs swallow the R370 SRD grant
He uses his grant mainly for medical expenses, and he says the payment helps but is not enough. By the end of each month, the money runs out completely.
His situation highlights a gap in South Africa’s safety net. Healthcare costs keep rising while the SRD grant stays at R370. For older job seekers, good health matters when looking for work, yet the grant barely covers basic medical needs.
Still searching for work
He is unemployed and actively looking for work, with experience in retail and customer service. Unemployment remains his biggest financial concern.
His age places him in a difficult position. He is too young for the Older Persons Grant, yet older job seekers often struggle to compete in a tight labour market. He has not applied for any other government support because he says he did not qualify for anything else.
Despite the strain, he has no complaints about how SASSA runs his grant. He rated the agency’s communication as very good and described his experience as straightforward. His payment goes into his bank account every month without any problems.
Speaking up for pensioners and disabled recipients
When asked what he would change about SASSA, he said he wants grant amounts increased. His concern reaches beyond his own grant. He accepts the reason for the R370 relief payment but believes older persons and people with disabilities need more support.
“I do believe the older person grant and disability grants should be increased it touches a nerve,” he said.
His view echoes growing calls from grant recipients and civil society groups for meaningful increases across all SASSA grants.
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