SASSA Grant recipients have made their expectations clear in the comments on The South African’s Facebook page. One figure keeps coming up. Hemraj Munnah and Shandukani Shandukani both answered with a single number: “5000.” Hans Mogale echoed them, writing, “We need that R5000.”
The Older Persons Grant currently pays R2 400 a month to recipients aged 60 and over, following the April 2026 increase. A R5 000 grant would more than double that amount. SASSA has not announced any plans for an increase of that size.
Cost of living drives the demand
For many commenters, the call for more money comes down to what things cost. Shane Mayimele summed up the mood simply. “They should increase it because the cost of living is too high,” he wrote. His comment drew reactions and replies from others who shared his frustration.
Food, electricity, transport and medical costs continue to climb, and pensioners often feel those increases first. Many older South Africans rely on the grant as their main or only income. When prices rise faster than the grant, the gap shows up quickly at the till and at the end of the month.
One comment shows what is at stake
Cristal Petersen shared how a shortfall can push a household into debt. “Yes, we need that R5000 to survive…I must pay the money lender R1300 for the R1000 I lend to take my husband to the doctor,” she wrote. She ended her comment with a plea: “so please be that good guy that we can look up for a change.”
Her comment shows how quickly one unexpected expense can become a larger burden. Borrowing R1000 left her owing R1300, which will take another bite out of an already tight budget.
The comments reflect a wider frustration among grant recipients who feel the current amounts fall short. Until SASSA or the National Treasury announces any change, pensioners are urged to rely only on official channels for news about grant increases and to ignore unverified claims about new amounts.
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