‘We’re NOT skelms’: Old-age pensioner pleads with SASSA

Alida is an old-age pensioner on a SASSA grant and a regular reader of The South Africa. Just this week she commented the following on a story about grant reviews:

“We old people are not the skelms. It is the government employees who are the ones with all the corruption in their bones.”

Her comment on our regular SASSA coverage is angry and heartfelt. And it speaks to the type of injustice many old-age pensioners feel when they come under review.

SASSA OLD-AGE PENSIONER REVIEWS

Moreover, Alida writes that her husband is also under review, and they’ve been told to wait to the fourth payment date in the cycle for their money. In the meantime, “What must people eat? How do they pay their bills if they don’t receive their SASSA?” she asks.

Even if a SASSA old-age pensioner is alerted in time, getting to a SASSA office is the second problem. “It is heartbreaking for our old people and difficult to get to a SASSA office for the review. With what must we pay somebody to take them there? It’s 25 kilometres for me. Does the agency think old people must go on foot?”

THE CONTEXT

Worse still, October 2026 brought no top-up from the South African Social Security Agency for the first time in two years. Therefore, the Older Person’s Grant is still R2 400 for those aged 60 to 74. And R2 420 for those 75 and over. For context, the minimum wage in South Africa is R30.23 an hour, which works out at about R5 240 a month for a 40-hour week.

Contrary to expectations, the MTBPS on 21 October made things harder, not easier. Instead of a clear road map for increases, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s speech counted R13 billion as its savings goal from “reduced fraud in social grants.” More reviews and tighter biometric verification are all part of the plan.

REVIEWS BITE OLD-AGE PENSIONER HARD

The agency confirmed that between April and June 2026, SASSA put 105 600 beneficiaries under review. Of these, it suspended 56 807 grants, about 54%. SASSA says it doesn’t cancel grants ‘abruptly.’ Plus, the Auditor-General found R1.33 billion in payments to ineligible beneficiaries in 2025/26.

This includes R266.8 million to government employees and R211 million to the deceased. So, Alida’s suspicion about corruption within government has some basis in the record. But about R1.28 billion went to legally eligible foreign nationals last year, not ‘illegals.’

WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE REVIEWED

The agency maintains that reviews are there to protect the system. For Alida, they’re one more thing standing between her and peaceful retirement. She adds: “Please stop the reviews. Stop the nonsense. Give us our SASSA on time. Even minimum wage would help. Every worker must get minimum wage, and we old people must be okay with R2 400,” she concludes.

If you suspect a one-off deposit (family gift or stokvel payout) has triggered your review, contact SASSA immediately to rectify. Call 0800 601 011 for help before travelling to an office. If need be, ask a family member, neighbour or ward councillor for help with transport to a SASSA office.

But what do you think? Is there some other way SASSA old-age pensioner reviews can take place? Do you have any suggestions? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below …