SASSA pensioners’ December budget breakdown: ‘R50 per day must go towards electricity’

SASSA Old-Age grant pensioners are doing their own maths ahead of Christmas, and the numbers don’t add up.

Comments on The South African’s Facebook page show how far the monthly grant falls short of what pensioners say they need.

The daily reality

The Old Age Grant pays R2 400 per month for people aged 60 and older.

December has 31 days, so a pensioner aged 60 to 74 has about R77.42 a day. Pensioners over 75 get about R78.06 a day.

That money has to cover food, electricity, transport, medicine and, in many homes, other family members.

What pensioners say they need

Joseph Phakiso Seseli named his figure: “250 per day.”

Over a full December, R250 a day would come to R7 750, more than three times the current grant.

Martie Bester backed the monthly figure that has become a rallying cry: “YES WE WANT R5 000.”

R5 000 a month would give a pensioner about R161 a day in December, roughly double what they get now.

Electricity eats the grant

Reginald Scott added a cost many pensioners know well: “And R50 per day must go towards electricity.”

Over 31 days, R50 a day on electricity adds up to R1 550. That is nearly 65% of the R2 400 grant.

It would leave R850 for everything else, or about R27 a day for food, transport and toiletries.

Not every household spends that much on power. Still, the figures show why so many pensioners say the grant is a survival amount and not a living amount.

The current amounts took effect in April. While the increases were slightly above inflation, they fell short of the R130 boost pensioners received in 2025.

Win R2 000 in the South African SASSA grant survey

If you receive a SASSA grant and want to share your story, we want to hear from you.

Take part in our survey and stand a chance to win R2 000. Your responses help us tell the stories that matter.