The morning chill bites at Nthabiseng Mokoena’s fingers as she wraps her thin jacket tighter around her shoulders. It’s 5:30 AM in Soweto, and the 43-year-old mother of three has already been waiting for an hour outside the local post office. She’s not alone – dozens of other South Africans form a queue that snakes around the building, all waiting for the same thing: their monthly SASSA grant payment of R690.
“This money is everything to us,” Nthabiseng tells me, her breath visible in the cold morning air. “Without it, my children wouldn’t eat properly. I lost my cleaning job during COVID, and finding work has been impossible since then.”
Scenes like this play out across South Africa every month as millions of citizens depend on the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) grants to survive. The R690 grant – a critical lifeline for the country’s most vulnerable – has become even more essential as South Africa battles record unemployment and rising living costs.
The Evolution of South Africa’s Social Grant System
South Africa’s social grant system has a complex history, evolving significantly since the end of apartheid in 1994. What began as a fragmented system primarily serving white South Africans has transformed into Africa’s most comprehensive social security network, reaching over 18 million beneficiaries.
The R690 grant represents one of the most significant developments in this evolution. While many South Africans are familiar with the grant, understanding its full context requires looking at how the country’s social welfare system has developed over decades.
“Our social grant system is one of the democratic government’s greatest achievements,” explains Dr. Nomfundo Dlamini, a social policy researcher at the University of Cape Town. “Despite its flaws and implementation challenges, it has prevented millions from falling into absolute poverty. The R690 grant specifically has been transformative for households that would otherwise have no income whatsoever.”
Initially introduced as an emergency measure during the COVID-19 pandemic, the grant (originally set at R350) has undergone several increases in response to growing economic pressures and advocacy from civil society organizations. The most recent adjustment to R690 came after sustained campaigns highlighting the inadequacy of previous amounts in the face of rising food prices and basic necessities.
Who Qualifies for the R690 Grant?
Understanding the eligibility criteria for the SASSA R690 grant is crucial, particularly for first-time applicants navigating South Africa’s social security system.
Currently, the grant targets South African citizens, permanent residents, and refugees who:
- Are aged between 18 and 59
- Have no income or an income below the threshold set by SASSA
- Are not receiving any other social grant or unemployment insurance benefits
- Are not being supported in a government institution
- Are not receiving financial support from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS)
“The criteria might seem straightforward, but applying them consistently across millions of applications creates enormous administrative challenges,” notes Bongani Mthembu, a former SASSA official who now works as an independent consultant on social protection systems. “SASSA must balance accessibility with preventing fraud – a delicate balance that isn’t always achieved.”
I witness this challenge firsthand at a SASSA office in Durban, where applicant Sipho Ndlovu has been rejected three times despite appearing to meet all requirements.
“Each time I come, they tell me something different,” he says, frustration evident in his voice. “First, they said my bank verification failed. Then they said I might be receiving UIF, which I’m not. Now they say my ID number doesn’t match their records. How is this possible when it’s the same ID I’ve had my whole life?”
Such stories are common, highlighting the bureaucratic hurdles many face when accessing the R690 grant. SASSA has acknowledged these challenges and claims to be implementing system improvements, though progress has been uneven across different provinces and municipalities.
The Application Process: Navigating Bureaucratic Waters
Applying for the R690 grant has become significantly more streamlined compared to the early days of the program, though challenges persist, especially for those with limited digital access.
The primary application methods include:
- Online Application: Through the SASSA website or WhatsApp line
- Mobile App: Using the SASSA SRD App
- In-person: At SASSA offices, though this is increasingly discouraged except for those without digital access
- Community Access Points: Including post offices and community centers with designated SASSA representatives
“The push toward digital applications makes sense from an efficiency standpoint, but it creates new forms of exclusion,” explains Thandi Mkhize, who runs a community assistance program in rural KwaZulu-Natal. “In the communities I serve, many people don’t have smartphones, reliable internet, or even stable electricity. For them, the digital divide becomes a welfare divide.”
To bridge this gap, unofficial support networks have emerged across the country. In Lusikisiki, Eastern Cape, I meet Busisiwe Ndaba, who has turned a corner of her small spaza shop into an unofficial “SASSA help desk,” assisting neighbors with online applications using her phone.
“I charge R15 to help with applications – just enough to cover my data costs,” she explains while helping an elderly man navigate the SASSA portal. “Otherwise, people here would need to take a taxi to town, which costs much more and takes a whole day.”
Such grassroots solutions highlight both the resourcefulness of South Africans and the persistent gaps in official support systems for the R690 grant application process.
Payment Methods and Collection Challenges
Once approved for the R690 grant, beneficiaries face another set of challenges: actually receiving their money. SASSA offers several payment methods:
- Direct bank deposits for those with bank accounts
- Post Office collection for those preferring cash
- Supermarket retailers including Pick n Pay and Boxer
- Mobile money solutions like eWallet
“Each payment method has its own complications,” says financial inclusion expert Lerato Moloi. “Bank deposits are efficient but exclude the unbanked. Post Offices often run out of cash or have massive queues. Retailers offer convenience but sometimes face system issues. There’s no perfect solution yet.”
Back in the Soweto post office queue, Nthabiseng explains why she chooses to endure the long wait rather than use a bank account: “Bank charges eat into the grant. Even R5 or R10 in fees matters when you’re stretching R690 to feed a family for a month. And if there’s a problem, at least here I can talk to a person face-to-face.”
The recent partnership with major retailers has eased some pressure on post offices, distributing collection points more widely. However, system downtimes and connectivity issues occasionally disrupt payments across all platforms, leading to anxiety among beneficiaries who depend on receiving the money on schedule.
Last month, a nationwide system failure delayed payments by three days, creating crisis situations for many families. In Khayelitsha, Cape Town, community kitchens reported overwhelming demand during this period as grant recipients had no alternative resources to fall back on.
The Real Impact: How R690 Shapes Lives
Statistics and systems tell only part of the story. The true significance of the R690 grant emerges in the daily realities of recipients’ lives.
In Orange Farm, south of Johannesburg, I visit the one-room home of Grace Motaung, a 53-year-old former domestic worker who has been unable to find employment for three years. Inside, every item appears carefully maintained – from the neatly folded blankets on the bed to the precisely arranged groceries on a small shelf.
“I budget the R690 down to the last rand,” Grace explains, showing me a worn notebook where she tracks expenses. “R350 for food basics – maize meal, beans, oil, and vegetables from the local market when they’re cheap. R100 for electricity. R80 for my blood pressure medication that isn’t always available at the clinic. R50 for transport when I need to look for piece jobs. The rest I try to save for emergencies, though that rarely works out.”
For Grace, like millions of others, the R690 doesn’t provide comfort – it merely keeps absolute destitution at bay. Yet this minimal financial stability creates a foundation from which recipients can attempt to improve their circumstances.
Twenty kilometers away, in Vosloorus, Themba Ndlovu has used his grant strategically. “I pooled my R690 with two friends who also receive the grant. We bought a second-hand lawn mower and basic gardening tools. Now we maintain gardens in the suburbs two days a week. We’re still using the grant, but the small business brings in extra money.”
Such entrepreneurial approaches remain the exception rather than the rule, however. For most, the R690 grant goes entirely toward immediate survival needs, with little opportunity for investment or growth.
The Broader Economic Context: Beyond Individual Stories
While individual narratives illuminate the personal impact of the R690 grant, understanding its broader economic significance requires zooming out to the macro level.
With approximately 7.5 million recipients at present, the program injects over R5 billion monthly into South Africa’s economy, much of it flowing directly into the country’s poorest communities. This creates what economists call a “multiplier effect,” as grant money circulates through local economies.
“The R690 grant isn’t just social welfare – it’s economic stimulus focused precisely where it’s most needed,” explains economist Nkosazana Buthelezi. “When a grant recipient buys groceries from a spaza shop, that shop owner can then pay school fees, the school can pay teachers, and so on. The velocity of this money in local economies is remarkably high.”
Studies have shown that each rand spent on social grants generates approximately R1.60 in local economic activity – a return on investment that few other government programs can match. Additionally, the grant has been linked to improvements in childhood nutrition, school attendance, and even reduced crime rates in some communities.
This economic perspective challenges the narrative that social grants represent merely a drain on public finances. Instead, they function as a form of targeted economic intervention with measurable returns, both social and financial.
Political Debates and the Future of the R690 Grant
Despite its demonstrated benefits, the R690 grant remains politically contentious, with significant debates about its sustainability and long-term impact.
Critics, primarily from fiscally conservative positions, argue that South Africa cannot afford to maintain or expand the grant system given the country’s high debt levels and constrained tax base. They advocate for phasing out the grant in favor of job creation initiatives and economic growth policies.
Proponents counter that in a context of structural unemployment – where jobs simply don’t exist in sufficient numbers – social grants represent the only viable safety net for millions. They further argue that the dignity and minimal security provided by grants like the R690 payment are fundamental human rights in a democratic society.
“This debate often ignores the voices of recipients themselves,” notes social activist Vuyiswa Makhanya. “When you ask grant beneficiaries, they unanimously want work opportunities rather than handouts. But until those opportunities materialize at scale, withdrawing this minimal support would be catastrophic.”
The government’s current position appears to be one of cautious commitment to maintaining the grant, though with ongoing concerns about fiscal sustainability. Recent statements from the Treasury have indicated that any further increases beyond the current R690 would require either budget cuts elsewhere or new revenue sources.
Meanwhile, civil society organizations continue to advocate for the grant to be increased to at least R850 – the food poverty line – arguing that the current amount remains insufficient to meet basic needs given inflation and rising costs.
Beyond Cash: What Recipients Really Need
As important as the R690 grant is, conversations with recipients reveal that their needs extend far beyond cash transfers.
“The money helps us survive, but it doesn’t solve our real problems,” says Nthabiseng, still waiting in the post office queue as the sun rises higher. “What we need are real jobs with decent pay. We need skills that employers want. We need affordable transport to get to where the jobs are. The grant is a bandage on a much deeper wound.”
This sentiment echoes across conversations with dozens of grant recipients throughout the country. While all express profound gratitude for the financial support, none view it as a desirable long-term solution to their circumstances.
In policy circles, this has led to growing interest in “complementary programming” – initiatives that provide grant recipients with additional support services such as:
- Skills development and vocational training
- Job search assistance and placement services
- Entrepreneurship support and microfinance
- Financial literacy education
- Psychosocial support addressing the mental health impacts of poverty
Pilot programs integrating such approaches have shown promising results, particularly when tailored to local economic conditions and opportunities. However, scaling these interventions to reach millions of grant recipients presents enormous logistical and financial challenges.
Dignity Amid Hardship
As the post office finally opens its doors, Nthabiseng moves forward in the queue, her turn approaching after nearly five hours of waiting. When asked what she’ll do with her R690 once she receives it, she responds with a mix of determination and resignation familiar to anyone who has experienced economic hardship.
“First, I’ll buy maize meal, oil, and some chicken feet for protein. The children need new school socks – their current ones have too many holes to mend again. If there’s anything left, maybe some paraffin for the heater since the nights are still cold.”
She pauses, then adds: “It’s not much, but it lets me sleep at night knowing my children won’t go hungry tomorrow. That peace of mind – that’s what the R690 really gives us. Not comfort, just one less nightmare.”
As South Africa continues to grapple with entrenched poverty and inequality, the SASSA R690 grant stands as both an achievement and a reminder of unfinished business. It provides essential support to millions while highlighting the urgent need for more comprehensive solutions to the country’s socioeconomic challenges.
For recipients like Nthabiseng, Grace, and millions of others, the monthly payment represents not just financial assistance but a tangible acknowledgment of their citizenship and humanity in a society still working to fulfill the promise of dignity for all.
Also Read –
SASSA’s New Initiatives to Enhance Grant Payments And Reduce Waiting Times