The morning air carries a slight chill as I arrive at the SASSA office in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, where a queue has already formed despite the early hour.
It’s 5:42 AM on a Tuesday in early March, and some people have been waiting since midnight.
Among them is Thembile Nkosi, a 43-year-old man with a spinal injury sustained in a minibus taxi accident five years ago.
He leans heavily on his crutches, shifting occasionally to ease the discomfort of standing for hours.
“Every month, the same struggle,” he sighs, glancing at the still-locked gates of the SASSA office.
“But March is always worse because of the new financial year adjustments.”
As South Africa approaches the end of the 2024/25 financial year, disability grant recipients like Thembile face a perfect storm of challenges: payment system glitches, anxiety over grant increases, and the perennial difficulties of stretching R2,180 to cover ever-rising living costs.
For the nearly 1.2 million South Africans who rely on disability grants as their primary income source, March 2025 brings both hope and apprehension.
The March 2025 Payment Schedule: Changes and Challenges
SASSA’s payment schedule for March 2025 has undergone significant adjustments, causing confusion among many recipients.
Unlike previous months, where disability grants were paid alongside old age pensions starting on the 3rd of each month, March payments will begin on the 5th, with a staggered approach based on the last digits of recipients’ ID numbers.
“The schedule change wasn’t well communicated,” says Nomonde Faltein, a community worker who assists disability grant recipients in navigating the system.
“Many people showed up at ATMs and payment points on the 3rd, only to find no money in their accounts.”
This scheduling shift comes as SASSA continues implementing its technological overhaul, transitioning from the previous gold card system to the new SASSA/Postbank blue cards and direct bank deposits.
For technologically savvy recipients with bank accounts, the transition has been relatively smooth.
But for those in rural areas or without digital literacy, it has created significant barriers.
“I don’t understand these new systems,” admits Miriam Mabaso, 61, who receives a disability grant for severe rheumatoid arthritis.
“Before, I knew exactly when and where to get my money.
Now everything is changing, and no one properly explains it to us.”
SASSA officials defend the changes as necessary modernization steps that will ultimately improve service delivery.
“The March scheduling adjustment is temporary,” explains Regional Coordinator Luthando Mbeki when I visit his office later that day.
“We’re upgrading our payment systems to reduce fraud and ensure grants reach the correct beneficiaries more efficiently.”
But efficiency improvements mean little to recipients who find themselves without expected funds on previously reliable payment dates.
For many disability grant dependents, even a two-day delay can mean going without essential medications or basic necessities.
The Grant Amount: Increases and Inadequacies
The approaching April annual increases have been a major topic of conversation among those waiting outside the SASSA office.
Minister of Social Development Lindiwe Zulu recently announced that disability grants would increase from R2,180 to R2,300 monthly starting in April 2025, representing a 5.5% increase.
“It’s better than nothing,” says Thembile, “but have you seen food prices lately?
My medication costs went up almost 15% since last year.”
His frustration echoes throughout the queue, where recipients trade stories about rising costs and impossible choices.
A 2024 study by the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice & Dignity Group found that the cost of a basic nutritious monthly food basket for a single person reached R2,390 – already exceeding the current disability grant amount.
By March 2025, that figure has climbed even higher.
“The grant increase doesn’t match inflation, especially for essentials like food and medicine,” explains economist Dr. Ayanda Ntsaluba, who specializes in social security systems.
“In real terms, disability grant recipients are experiencing a decrease in purchasing power, not an increase.”
For 37-year-old Nokuthula Dlamini, who has been blind since birth, this economic reality means increasingly difficult decisions.
“My rent takes R850, electricity maybe R400 depending on the season,” she calculates, ticking off expenses on her fingers.
“Transport to doctor’s appointments is at least R300 monthly.
After basic food, there’s nothing left for emergencies or anything beyond mere survival.”
The inadequacy of the grant amount becomes even more apparent when considering that many recipients support extended families with their disability grants.
Research by the Studies in Poverty and Inequality Institute indicates that each social grant in South Africa supports an average of 3.5 people – not just the direct recipient.
Verification Processes: Dignity Under Scrutiny
March 2025 also marks a period of intensified verification for disability grant recipients, as SASSA implements its annual review processes to confirm continued eligibility.
This verification requirement has added another layer of stress for recipients already struggling with the payment schedule changes.
“They make us feel like criminals,” says Luvuyo Makhanya, 52, who suffers from chronic respiratory disease following years working in the mines.
“Every year, we must prove we are still disabled, still suffering, still worthy of support.”
The verification process requires recipients to undergo medical reassessment at designated facilities, often involving long waits, uncomfortable examinations, and fear that their grants might be discontinued despite their conditions remaining unchanged or even worsening.
For those with mobility impairments, the process is particularly challenging.
“I spent R380 on special transport to reach the assessment center,” explains Busisiwe Ngema, who uses a wheelchair due to advanced multiple sclerosis.
“That’s money I needed for food and medicine, just to prove what any doctor can see – that I cannot walk and never will.”
SASSA officials maintain that regular verification is necessary to prevent fraud and ensure the system helps those truly in need.
“We’ve identified numerous cases where people were claiming disability grants fraudulently,” states Mbeki.
“The verification process protects the integrity of the system for genuine recipients.”
Yet disability rights advocates argue that the current approach places an undue burden on legitimate recipients while failing to address more systemic vulnerabilities to fraud.
“The real fraud isn’t happening at the level of individual recipients pretending to be disabled,” argues Disability Rights Coalition spokesperson Thandeka Sisulu.
“It’s happening through corruption within the system and through identity theft schemes targeting vulnerable recipients.”
Recent improvements to the verification process include home visits for severely disabled recipients who cannot travel to assessment centers, but implementation remains inconsistent, particularly in rural areas where SASSA staffing is limited.
Living with Disability: Beyond the Grant
As the SASSA office finally opens and the queue begins to inch forward, conversations among recipients reveal that their challenges extend far beyond grant payments.
South Africa’s support system for people with disabilities remains fragmented, with significant gaps in healthcare, accessible transportation, employment opportunities, and social inclusion.
“The grant keeps me from starvation, but it doesn’t give me a life,” reflects Thembile.
“What I really want is meaningful work that accommodates my disability, but those opportunities barely exist.”
According to the Commission for Employment Equity, people with disabilities represent less than 1.5% of the formal workforce in South Africa, despite legislation mandating a 2% target in both public and private sectors.
For grant recipients, this employment exclusion creates a dependency trap – they cannot survive without the grant, but the grant amount is insufficient for a dignified life.
“There’s a misconception that we prefer receiving grants to working,” says Nokuthula, the blind grant recipient.
“But the truth is that most employers won’t even interview us when they see we have disabilities.”
Beyond employment barriers, recipients describe numerous other challenges: inaccessible public transport, healthcare facilities without proper accommodation for various disabilities, and persistent social stigma that leads to isolation and discrimination.
“Sometimes the emotional burden is worse than the physical one,” Nokuthula admits.
“People either treat you like you’re invisible or like you’re a child who can’t make decisions.”
Coping Strategies and Community Support
Despite these challenges, disability grant recipients demonstrate remarkable resilience and creativity in stretching their limited resources.
Many have developed sophisticated budgeting systems, pooling resources with family members or neighbors to maximize purchasing power.
“Five of us who live in the same block go shopping together once a month,” explains Miriam.
“We buy in bulk and divide everything, which works out cheaper than shopping individually.”
Others have formed informal microenterprise cooperatives, using small portions of their grants as capital for income-generating activities that accommodate their disabilities.
Thembile, despite his mobility limitations, repairs cell phones from a small table outside his home – work he can do seated and at his own pace.
“On good months, I can add maybe R800 to my income,” he says.
“It’s not much, but it makes a difference between just surviving and having a little dignity.”
Community-based organizations also play a crucial role in supporting grant recipients beyond what government services provide.
In Khayelitsha, the Masibambane Disability Collective offers transportation assistance, peer counseling, and advocacy services to local disability grant recipients.
“We understand each other’s challenges in ways government officials cannot,” says collective founder Noxolo Mthembu, who herself receives a disability grant for paraplegia.
“Our support is practical and immediate – if someone’s grant is delayed, we organize food parcels.
If they need help getting to medical assessments, we arrange transport sharing.”
These community initiatives, while valuable, highlight the gaps in formal support systems that leave disability grant recipients largely responsible for creating their own safety nets.
Technology: Promise and Barriers
SASSA’s ongoing technological modernization promises improved service delivery but presents significant challenges for many disability grant recipients.
The push toward digital payment systems, online applications, and electronic verification methods creates additional barriers for those without digital literacy or access to smartphones and data.
“I don’t understand these apps and websites,” says 59-year-old Dumisani Xaba, who has limited use of his hands due to a stroke.
“Even if I did, I cannot afford data or a proper phone to use them.”
The “digital divide” is particularly pronounced among disability grant recipients, many of whom have limited education and financial resources.
While SASSA has implemented some accessibility features, such as screen reader compatibility for visually impaired users, awareness and training on these features remain limited.
“The system is designed for young, tech-savvy users without disabilities,” observes disability technology specialist Mandla Ntshona.
“True accessibility means designing with the most vulnerable users in mind from the beginning, not as an afterthought.”
Some innovative solutions are emerging through partnerships between SASSA and community organizations.
In several regions, “digital champions” programs train community volunteers to assist grant recipients with technological aspects of the system.
But coverage remains patchy, particularly in rural areas where both technological infrastructure and human resources are limited.
Looking Ahead: April and Beyond
As March transitions to April, disability grant recipients face both the promise of increased payments and the uncertainty of continued system changes.
The upcoming financial year will see several significant developments in South Africa’s disability grant system, including:
- The rollout of a streamlined application process with reduced waiting times for new applicants
- Expanded integration with healthcare facilities to simplify medical assessments
- The introduction of a tiered grant system that provides additional support for those with severe disabilities requiring constant care
“We’re working toward a more responsive, differentiated approach,” explains Social Development Department spokesperson Lumka Dlomo.
“We recognize that the current one-size-fits-all grant doesn’t adequately address the varying needs of people with different types and severities of disabilities.”
For recipients like Thembile, these promises of future improvements provide little immediate relief.
As I leave the SASSA office in the late afternoon, he is still waiting, having moved only halfway through the queue since morning.
“I’ll probably have to come back tomorrow,” he says resignedly.
“But what choice do I have?
This grant is the difference between having a roof over my head or not.”
His situation embodies the complex reality of South Africa’s disability grant system in March 2025 – a critical lifeline that simultaneously provides essential support while often failing to respect the dignity and comprehensive needs of those it serves.
For the 1.2 million South Africans who depend on disability grants, March 2025 is not merely another payment month but a microcosm of their ongoing struggle for recognition, inclusion, and genuine social protection.
As the country prepares for the April grant increases, the true measure of progress will not be found in rand amounts alone, but in whether the system evolves to address the multidimensional challenges faced by citizens with disabilities, moving beyond mere subsistence support toward enabling genuine participation and dignity in South African society.
Also Read –
SASSA Grant Payouts Scheduled For April Boost