The morning queue outside the SASSA office in Soweto stretches longer than I’ve seen in months. It’s 6:30 AM, and already hundreds of people are waiting patiently, some having arrived before dawn to secure their spot. The mood today is different though – there’s a buzz of conversation, snippets about “increases” and “more money” floating through the chilly morning air.
“I heard it’s going up to R850,” says Thabo, a middle-aged man who’s been receiving the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant since 2020. “My cousin works for the government, and he says it’s definitely happening in March.”
Rumors about SASSA grant increases are nothing new in South African communities. But this time, the whispers have substance. After years of advocacy from civil society organizations and mounting pressure due to rising living costs, the South African government has officially announced significant increases to the SRD grant for the 2025 financial year.
As someone who has been reporting on social development issues for over a decade, I’ve seen many policy changes, but few have generated as much anticipation – and confusion – as these upcoming adjustments to the SRD grant system.
The Official Announcement: Breaking Down the Numbers
On February 18, 2025, the Minister of Social Development confirmed what many had been hoping for: the SRD grant will increase from its current R350 to R700 per month, effective from April 1, 2025. This represents the largest single increase in the grant’s value since its introduction during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
“This substantial increase reflects our government’s commitment to addressing the immediate needs of our most vulnerable citizens while we continue working toward more comprehensive social security reforms,” the Minister stated during the budget vote speech that I attended in Cape Town.
The announcement came after months of behind-the-scenes negotiations between the Treasury, Department of Social Development, and various stakeholders. According to sources within the department who spoke to me on condition of anonymity, the decision wasn’t easily reached.
“There was significant pushback from the fiscal hawks,” explained one senior official over coffee near Parliament. “With our current economic challenges, doubling a grant that reaches over 10 million people represents a major budgetary commitment. But the social necessity ultimately outweighed the financial concerns.”
Indeed, the numbers are substantial. The increased grant will cost the fiscus approximately R84 billion annually, up from about R42 billion. To put this in perspective, that’s roughly equivalent to the entire budget for higher education.
Beyond the Numbers: Expanded Eligibility Criteria
Perhaps equally significant to the increase in payment amount are the changes to eligibility criteria that will accompany the 2025 reforms.
The current system has been criticized for its strict means test, which disqualifies individuals with even minimal alternative income. Under the new regulations, the income threshold for eligibility will increase from R624 to R1,500 per month, allowing many more struggling South Africans to access support.
Yesterday, I spoke with Nomsa Dlamini, a part-time cleaner from Alexandra township, as she exited the SASSA office. “I’ve been rejected three times because I make R780 a month from my two cleaning jobs,” she explained, shuffling through her paperwork with visible frustration. “That’s not enough to live on, but it’s been too much to qualify for help. Maybe now I’ll finally get some support.”
The expanded criteria will also introduce a sliding scale system, where those with some income below the threshold may receive partial grants. For example, someone earning R1,200 per month might receive a reduced grant of R400 rather than the full R700.
This nuanced approach aims to eliminate the “cliff edge” problem in the current system, where earning just R1 over the threshold results in losing the entire grant – creating perverse incentives against seeking additional income.
The Human Impact: Voices from the Ground
To understand what these changes mean beyond policy papers and budget figures, I’ve spent the past week traveling to various communities across South Africa, speaking with current and prospective grant recipients.
In Diepsloot, I met 24-year-old Sipho Mazibuko at a community center where young people gather to access free WiFi for job searching. Sipho has been receiving the SRD grant since 2021 and uses much of it for data bundles and transport to job interviews.
“The R350 helps, but honestly, it’s gone within days,” he told me, showing me his carefully maintained budget book where he tracks every rand. “After transport to collect the money and buying some airtime to look for jobs, there’s almost nothing left. The increase to R700 would mean I could actually attend more interviews and maybe even take a short skills course.”
In rural Eastern Cape, the impact could be even more significant. Outside a small trading store in Mbizana, I spoke with elderly Nokuthula Mbele, who supervises eight grandchildren while their parents work in distant cities.
“Three of my grandchildren’s parents receive the grant and send most of it home,” she explained, sitting on a bench outside the shop where many locals collect their payments. “With the bigger amount, maybe we can improve our vegetable garden with proper fencing and seeds. Right now, we’re just surviving, not living.”
But perhaps the most poignant conversation was with Johannes, a former construction worker now living in a informal settlement outside Cape Town. Lost his job during the pandemic and has struggled to find stable work since.
“People think we want to live on grants,” he said, his calloused hands testifying to years of hard labor. “But R350 or even R700 is not a life anyone would choose. It’s just enough to keep hunger away some days. What we really want is work, but until that comes, at least this increase means my children might eat better.”
Implementation Challenges: The Devil in the Details
While the grant increase has been widely welcomed, implementing such significant changes presents substantial administrative challenges for SASSA, an agency that has struggled with operational issues in the past.
During a recent parliamentary oversight committee meeting I attended, SASSA officials outlined their preparation plans for the April 2025 rollout. These include:
- System upgrades to handle the new sliding scale payments
- Additional temporary staff at key offices
- Extended operating hours in high-volume areas
- Enhanced digital application capabilities
- Improved banking partnerships for more efficient disbursement
“We recognize the immense responsibility of implementing this historic increase correctly,” said the SASSA CEO during the briefing. “We are leaving nothing to chance in our preparations.”
However, concerns remain about SASSA’s readiness. During my visits to various SASSA offices this week, I observed firsthand the pressure the current system is under, with overwhelmed staff managing long queues and complex cases.
At the Mitchells Plain office in Cape Town, a frontline employee who asked not to be named shared her concerns during her lunch break. “We haven’t received any official training about the new system yet,” she confided. “We hear rumors just like the clients do. If this is happening in April, we should already be in intensive preparation mode.”
Technical challenges also loom large. The current payment system has experienced repeated glitches, with some recipients reporting skipped payments or unexplained rejections. Scaling this system to handle larger payments and more complex eligibility determinations will require significant technical upgrades.
“The database infrastructure needs serious investment,” explained IT specialist Mandla Nkosi, who has consulted on government systems previously. “You’re essentially asking a system designed for binary yes/no eligibility decisions to now handle variable payment amounts across millions of recipients. That’s a massive technical leap.”
The Broader Economic Picture: Stimulus vs. Dependency
The grant increase has reignited the perennial debate about social welfare spending in South Africa, with perspectives sharply divided along ideological lines.
After the announcement, I attended an economic forum at Wits University where the discussion quickly heated up between those viewing the increase as necessary social protection and others concerned about fiscal sustainability.
“This is essentially a massive stimulus package directed at the poorest South Africans,” argued economist Dr. Thandi Moyo during the panel discussion. “Unlike money spent at the top of the economic pyramid, these funds will flow directly into local economies, particularly in townships and rural areas where every rand gets spent and recirculated locally.”
Indeed, research on cash transfer programs globally suggests that contrary to creating dependency, well-designed grants often stimulate local economic activity. Small traders and spaza shop owners I spoke with in several communities confirmed they typically see increased business on grant payment days.
Mxolisi Ndlovu, who runs a small spaza shop in KwaMashu township outside Durban, told me: “When grants come in, I sell more of everything—maize meal, cooking oil, school supplies. The money moves around our community before it leaves. If the grants double, it will help all of us, not just those who receive them directly.”
However, business organizations have expressed concern about the long-term fiscal implications. The CEO of a major business chamber, speaking at the same economic forum, cautioned: “While we understand the social necessity, we must ask whether doubling the largest grant program is sustainable given our current debt levels and limited tax base.”
The government has attempted to address these concerns by framing the increase as a bridge measure while more structural economic reforms take hold. Officials point to complementary programs focused on job creation, skills development, and entrepreneurship support that aim to reduce grant dependency over time.
Looking Forward: The Path to Basic Income Support
Perhaps the most significant aspect of the SRD grant increase is what it signals about South Africa’s social policy direction. What began as a temporary emergency measure during the pandemic has evolved into a de facto basic income support program for working-age adults—a demographic previously excluded from South Africa’s social grant system.
During a policy briefing I attended at the Department of Social Development headquarters in Pretoria, officials were explicit about viewing the enhanced SRD grant as a stepping stone toward a more comprehensive basic income support program.
“The SRD grant increase represents an evolution in our thinking about social protection,” explained a senior policy director. “We’re moving toward acknowledging that in an economy with structural unemployment, some form of income support for working-age adults is not just compassionate but economically rational.”
Civil society organizations that have long advocated for basic income support have cautiously welcomed the increase while pushing for more. At a community hall meeting in Alexandra organized by the #PayTheGrants campaign, I witnessed both celebration and continued mobilization.
“This increase is the result of ordinary people organizing and demanding their constitutional rights to dignity and social protection,” declared one speaker to enthusiastic applause. “But R700 still falls below the food poverty line. Our struggle continues.”
Indeed, research from the Studies in Poverty and Inequality Institute suggests that even with the increase to R700, recipients will still struggle to meet all basic needs. Their calculations indicate that a minimum of R1,300 per month would be required to lift individuals above the upper-bound poverty line.
Practical Information: What Recipients Need to Do
For current and prospective SRD grant recipients, navigating the transition to the new system will require attention to specific details. Based on information provided by SASSA and my observations during office visits, here’s what individuals need to know:
For existing recipients:
- Current recipients will automatically receive the increased amount from April 2025
- No new application is necessary if your grant is active
- Regular recertification processes will continue under the current schedule
- Banking details should be verified and updated if necessary before March 15, 2025
For new applicants:
- Applications under the new expanded criteria will open on March 1, 2025
- Apply through the enhanced SRD website, USSD code (1347737#), or in person at SASSA offices
- Documentation requirements will include proof of identity and bank statements or affidavits regarding income
- The new sliding scale system will automatically calculate partial grants for those with some income
For those previously rejected due to income:
- Individuals previously rejected because their income exceeded the old threshold should reapply after March 1, 2025
- The system will reassess eligibility based on the new R1,500 threshold
- Documentation of current income will be required
During my visit to the SASSA office in Pietermaritzburg, I observed staff preparing information pamphlets about these procedures. “We’re trying to be proactive in getting the information out,” explained the office manager. “The worst scenario would be thousands of people all rushing to apply or make inquiries on the same day in April.”
A Lifeline Enhanced, But Challenges Remain
As the sun sets on my week of traveling to SASSA offices and speaking with grant recipients across the country, I’m left reflecting on the complex reality of South Africa’s social assistance landscape.
The doubling of the SRD grant represents a significant material improvement in the lives of millions of South Africans. For people like Sipho, Nokuthula’s grandchildren, and Johannes, the increase will translate into tangible improvements—more food on the table, better access to job opportunities, perhaps even small investments in education or productive assets.
Yet as many recipients themselves acknowledged in our conversations, grants remain an imperfect solution to the deeper structural challenges of unemployment, inequality, and poverty. Even at R700, the grant provides mere subsistence rather than a pathway to prosperity.
Standing outside the SASSA office in Soweto where I began my reporting journey, I watch as the queue slowly shuffles forward. People share information, hold spots for those who need restroom breaks, and occasionally lend a supportive ear to each other’s struggles. There’s a community formed in this shared experience of vulnerability and resilience.
Thabo, whom I met in the morning, emerges from the building with his paperwork sorted. “It’s not just about the money,” he tells me as we walk toward the taxi rank. “It’s about knowing you’re not forgotten, that your government sees you’re struggling and tries something—even if it’s not everything we need.”
As April 2025 approaches, this increased grant represents both achievement and aspiration—a significant step forward in addressing immediate needs while the longer journey toward comprehensive social protection and economic inclusion continues.
For the millions of South Africans who will benefit from this historic increase, the coming months hold both practical challenges and renewed hope. As one elderly woman told me outside a post office in Umlazi, “R700 won’t solve all our problems, but it gives us a little more dignity in our struggle. Sometimes that’s enough to keep going another day.”
Also Read –
SASSA R1170 Foster Child Grant Payment Now Available For Recipients