LATEST outlook for 2027 SASSA Grant increases

Here is Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s latest pronounce on 2027 SASSA grant increases, in response to a written question in Parliament. The query came from MK Party MP Adil Nchabeleng.

As such, the minister’s confirms that recipients will have to wait until February’s Budget Speech to learn how much 2027 SASSA grant increases will be. He added that the decision hinges on ‘affordability and priorities.’

2027 SASSA GRANT INCREASES

Godongwana said decisions on South African Social Security Agency increases are all part of the greater 2027/28 budget process. Cabinet also has to approve all 2027 SASSA Grant increase. Godongwana also rejected Nchabeleng claim that increases were usually meagre/limited.

For reference, the majority of ‘core’ SASSA grants rose by R85 a month in 2026/27, or 3.7%. But they rose by R130, or 5.9%, back in 2025/26. The minister said: “Increases are informed by inflation, including food prices, but ultimately depend on the fiscal resources available, too.”

SOME SASSA BACKGROUND

Let’s look at the agency’s background to have a better understanding of where 2027 SASSA grant increases are coming from:

• 2006 SASSA paid about 12 million grants.
• 2026 it pays 26.6 million, including the SRD.
• That’s a rise from 25% to 41% of the population.
• Excluding SRD, ‘core’ grants have grown from 12 million to 18.8 million.
• The number of Old-Age Grant recipients has almost doubled in 20 years, from 2.2 million to 4.2 million.
• Spending on social welfare has stayed stable at just over 11% of government expenditure.

WHAT 2027 SASSA GRANT INCREASES COULD LOOK LIKE

So, with that information in our pocket, what could some speculative 2027 SASSA Grant increases look like? Well, the agency reports that SASSA beneficiary numbers are now falling:

• 2025/26 – 19.3 million
• 2026/27 – 18.8 million, a 2.2% drop.
• 2027/28 – (treasury projects) 17.8 million.
• 2029/30 – 17.1 million.

Therefore, applying the minister’s own recent percentage points to the current R2 400 SASSA Old-Age Grant, as an example, we have three plausible scenarios:

• Cautious increases (3.7%): R90 increase to R2 490.
• Inflation-led case (5%): R120 increase to R2 520.
• Generous case (5.9%): R140 would take it to R2 540.

A LIKELY SCENARIO

An earlier look at Treasury’s budget trends points to somewhere between cautious and inflation led, with R100 taking it to a nice, round R2 500 (75 and over to R2 520). Godongwana’s MTBPS had revenue revised up by R17.1 billion and the deficit at 3.9% of GDP. Plus, for every R100 tagged onto the Old-Age Grant, it costs about R5.1 billion a year across 4.2-million beneficiaries.

Whatever speculative figures on 2027 SASSA Grant increase may be, the real story here is don’t expect any clarity before the Budget Speech in February, with increases taking effect, as ever, in April.

But what do you think? What would you like to see registering for 2027 SASSA Grant increases? And feel free to motivate why you think that figure. Please share your thoughts in the comments section below …