‘No one can live on R2400 a month’: Pensioner’s blunt message
· The South African
Readers reacting to The South African’s coverage of SASSA grant payments didn’t hold back their frustration over how far the money actually stretches each month.
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Maureen Vermaak’s comment captured the mood of many: no one can live on R2400 a month, it’s impossible, and she wondered whether the authorities could do it themselves, adding that a lot of people couldn’t provide for this time of their lives due to a number of reasons, just unlucky circumstances maybe. Her comment struck a nerve, prompting other readers to weigh in on how the grant system treats different beneficiaries.
A system some say is unfair
Not everyone agreed on where the problem lies. Velda Uren Neuhuis pointed out that not everyone works for government, which is why people get a pension of R2400. Meanwhile, others raised the issue of eligibility itself. Sandra Coetzee suggested only one child per married couple should be able to claim the child grant, and not unmarried mothers, while Amber Jessica Viviers proposed a different fix: limit the child grant to two children going forward, and increase the pension fund instead.
Calls for bigger numbers
Some readers floated concrete figures they believed would ease the pressure. Christine Malan said R5000 would be appreciated, reflecting a broader appetite among commenters for a substantial increase rather than incremental adjustments. Others pushed back on the very structure of social grants, arguing that policy should instead prioritise job creation for taxpayers.
The debate shows no signs of cooling, with pensioners and grant recipients continuing to demand answers on how far SASSA payments can realistically go in 2026.
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