Spotlight on social grants
Special GroundUp series on social grants
Activists criticise social grant “savings”
The Universal Basic Income Coalition says tighter controls risk excluding eligible beneficiaries
Brief | 6 March 2026
Budget 2026: Social grants to go up in April
Increases are slightly more than inflation
By Daniel Steyn
News | 25 February 2026
SASSA crackdown overwhelms KZN offices
People have to return several times to apply for grants or complete reviews
Brief | 11 February 2026
SASSA suspends 70,000 grant payments in crackdown
Close to 400,000 beneficiaries notified their social grants are under review as oversight tightens
News | 5 February 2026
Basic income grant policy will take another year at least
Revised policy will be sent to Cabinet in March 2027
News | 5 February 2026
State is blocking access to SASSA grants, argue activists
The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) and the #PayTheGrants campaign want the Supreme Court of Appeal to dismiss government’s appeal
News | 28 January 2026
SRD grant increase is “simply unaffordable” says Treasury
Government appeals ruling that R370 grant regulations are unconstitutional and unlawful
News | 26 January 2026
Future of SRD grant uncertain, says Treasury
Universal Basic Income Coalition says government’s proposals to link the grant to employment-related conditions could exclude eligible beneficiaries
News | 6 January 2026
Living on R2,320 a month: Here’s how a pensioner spends her grant
“Sometimes by the 15th of the month, the groceries are all done,” says 61-year-old Noah Libbie
News | 11 December 2025