SASSA News — July 2026
New reports from Gauteng reveal that many South Africans receiving the SASSA Older Persons Grant of R2,400 per month are renting out rooms in their homes and continuing to work well past retirement age — simply to cover basic living costs.
A story published by The South African on 10 July 2026 highlighted one pensioner’s account: renting a room to a tenant to supplement the monthly grant. The article drew a flood of responses from readers across South Africa sharing similar coping strategies.
Key Facts
- Older Persons Grant (ages 60–74): R2,400 per month from April 2026
- Older Persons Grant (age 75+): R2,420 per month
- Average monthly food basket for one adult (2026): approximately R1,800–R2,200
- Electricity, water, transport and medication costs are additional
- Grant amount has increased by R80 since April 2026
The Older Persons Grant increased by R80 in April 2026 — the first increase in two years. But for millions of South African pensioners, R2,400 does not go far.
A rough breakdown of a pensioner’s monthly costs in 2026:
| Expense | Estimated Monthly Cost |
|---|---|
| Food (basic basket) | R1,800 – R2,200 |
| Electricity (prepaid) | R300 – R500 |
| Water | R100 – R200 |
| Transport (clinic, shops) | R150 – R300 |
| Medication (co-payments) | R100 – R300 |
| Total estimated | R2,450 – R3,500 |
Even at the lowest estimate, costs routinely exceed the R2,400 grant. Pensioners without family support face a monthly shortfall.
Reports from Gauteng and other provinces show several common strategies:
Renting out a room — Pensioners who own their homes are taking in tenants, typically charging R1,000–R2,500 per month for a room. This effectively doubles their monthly income.
Continuing to work — Many pensioners in the 60–70 age bracket remain in informal employment, domestic work, gardening, or selling goods at markets. As one reader commented: “Work until I fall over and die.”
Sharing households — Multiple family members, including unemployed adult children, pool resources. The pensioner’s R2,400 becomes one of several income sources in a shared household.
Community stokvels — Rotating savings clubs (stokvels) provide lump-sum cash injections several times a year, smoothing out the monthly shortfall.
The R2,400 grant does not have to be the only support you receive. Several government and non-profit programmes are available to pensioners and can reduce monthly costs or provide additional income. Most South Africans on the Older Persons Grant do not know all of these exist.
1. EPWP (Expanded Public Works Programme)
The EPWP is a national government programme that creates short-term work opportunities in public works projects: parks maintenance, infrastructure repair and community cleaning, among others. Workers are paid a daily rate, typically R100 to R150 per day. Older adults can participate through the Social sector, which focuses on community development work.
To find EPWP projects in your area, contact your local municipality directly or visit epwp.gov.za. One important note: EPWP income counts toward the means test. At R100 to R150 per day you would need to work roughly 64 or more days per month before approaching the R9,600 monthly threshold — which is not possible in a standard working month. In practice, most EPWP participants will remain well within the limit. But if you are unsure, call SASSA on 0800 60 10 11 to check before you start.
2. Community Work Programme (CWP)
The CWP is separate from EPWP. It provides two days of work per week (roughly 8 days per month) in community service activities run through municipalities and NGOs. The workload is lighter than EPWP and better suited to older adults who cannot manage more intensive physical work. Workers receive a stipend for their participation. Ask at your local municipality or community organisation whether a CWP project operates in your area.
3. Free health services at public clinics
All South Africans aged 60 and older receive free primary healthcare at public clinics. This includes doctor consultations and chronic medication collection. If you are currently paying a co-payment at a private pharmacy for your chronic medication, switching to your nearest public clinic could save you R100 to R300 per month — money that stays in your pocket.
4. Municipal indigent support
Registering as indigent with your local municipality may entitle you to free basic services each month. Most municipalities offer 50 kWh of free electricity and 6 kilolitres of free water per month to qualifying households, though the exact amounts vary by municipality.
To apply, visit your nearest municipal office with your South African ID, your most recent SASSA payment confirmation and a recent utility bill. There is no cost to apply and the saving can be significant over a year.
5. FoodForward SA food banks
FoodForward SA distributes surplus food through registered community organisations and food banks across South Africa. If you are struggling to cover your basic food needs, visit foodforwardsa.org to find a food bank near you. Many municipalities also run community soup kitchens and feeding programmes — ask at your local library or community centre for what is available in your area.
A note on declaring income to SASSA:
If you start receiving income from any of the programmes above and you are unsure whether it affects your grant, declare it to SASSA rather than guessing. SASSA can work out whether your grant amount changes. Call 0800 60 10 11 and explain your situation. Getting it wrong in either direction — not declaring income you should, or stopping a grant you still qualify for — creates unnecessary problems later.
The Older Persons Grant is means-tested. To qualify in 2026:
→ Full Older Persons Grant eligibility guide
The August 2026 payment dates are:
→ Full August 2026 payment dates
The next scheduled grant review is at the October 2026 Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS). The proposed Livelihoods Support Grant — intended to replace the SRD R370 from April 2027 — may affect the broader social grant landscape, but no changes to the Older Persons Grant amount have been announced for the current financial year.
→ Livelihoods Support Grant explained
R2,400 per month for those aged 60–74, and R2,420 per month for those aged 75 and older, effective from April 2026.
Yes. Pensioners may earn income from work or rental — but total income must stay below the means test threshold of R9,600 per month (single person). Rental income counts toward this threshold. If your income exceeds the limit, SASSA may reduce or cancel your grant.
SASSA conducts periodic reviews. If your income or assets now exceed the means test, you should report this to SASSA. Failure to report changes and continuing to receive a grant you no longer qualify for is considered fraud.
SASSA pays the Older Persons Grant on the first payment day of each month — typically the first working day. In August 2026, that is Tuesday 4 August. In September 2026, the date will be confirmed by SASSA in August.
Sources
The South African — “SASSA pensioners renting out rooms just to survive” — 10 July 2026
The South African — “‘Work until I fall over and die’: SASSA pensioners speak out” — 10 July 2026
SASSA — sassa.gov.za — Older Persons Grant eligibility and amounts
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