‘Can’t even buy a loaf of bread with that’: Pensioners vent over SASSA’s silence

SASSA has not specified any October top-up for the Older Persons Grant, but that hasn’t stopped beneficiaries from pre-empting how little difference it would make, even if one were approved. Itachi Itachi summed up the sentiment bluntly: “You can’t even buy a loaf of bread with that R10.” The comment reflects growing frustration that even a hypothetical single-digit rand increase barely registers against the rising cost of basic goods.

Wendy Hawkett raised a separate but related concern that resonated widely in the thread: withdrawal and account fees often absorb whatever small increase might eventually be granted.

“And just for the record, R10 or even R20 go for bank charges, you don’t even see that increase thx, but no thank you,” she wrote. For beneficiaries who rely on Postbank or SASSA cards, bank charges have long been a point of contention, particularly for those without easy access to fee-free withdrawal points.

Comparing government spending to grant increases

The frustration extended beyond bank fees to broader questions about government spending priorities.

With the Older Persons Grant currently at R2 400 a month and SASSA giving no indication of whether October will bring any change at all, beneficiaries are making clear that even a confirmed increase, whenever it comes, may do little to change what actually lands in their accounts once fees and rising costs are accounted for.

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