SASSA Grants Support Half of South African Households. Millions of South Africans depend on social grants for their daily survival. According to the latest General Household Survey conducted by Statistics South Africa (StatsSA), the number of households receiving social grants has dramatically increased over the past two decades.

Rising Dependency on Social Grants

StatsSA 2023 General Household Survey reveals that almost 40% of households in South Africa receive payments from the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA). This significant rise in grant dependency underscores the growing role of government assistance in the lives of many South Africans.

Currently, SASSA distributes approximately 19 million permanent grants each month. These grants include the Older Persons pension grants, Disability grants, War Veterans grants, Care Dependency grants, Foster Child grants, Child Support grants, Child Support Grant Top-Up, and Grant-in-aid.

Trends Over Two Decades

The reliance on social grants has surged markedly. In 2003, only 12.8% of individuals received grants. This number grew steadily to around 31% between 2017 and 2019. By 2023, the figure had sharply risen to 39.4%. The temporary Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant, introduced in 2020, significantly contributed to this spike in grant beneficiaries.

Households receiving at least one grant followed a similar trajectory. In 2003, 30.8% of households received grants. This proportion increased to 52.4% in 2020 before slightly declining to 50% in 2023.

Provincial Disparities

The dependence on grants varies significantly across provinces, with those experiencing the highest poverty rates showing the greatest reliance on social grants. The proportion of individuals and households receiving grants surged from 12.8% in 2003 to 39.4% in 2023, largely due to the introduction of the SRD grant.

Urban vs. Rural Dependency

The survey also highlighted differences in grant dependence between metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. In 2023, only 27.8% of individuals in metropolitan areas received grants compared to the national average of 39.4%. Among the metros, Mangaung, Buffalo City, and Nelson Mandela Bay had the highest rates of individual grant receipt, while Cape Town, Tshwane, and Ekurhuleni had the lowest.

A similar pattern emerged for households, with Mangaung and Buffalo City showing the highest levels of grant dependency. Conversely, Johannesburg, Tshwane, and Cape Town exhibited the least dependency.

Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic and the ensuing lockdowns severely impacted employment opportunities, further straining the finances of unemployed individuals. In response, the SRD grant was introduced in 2020 to support those aged 18-59. The programme has expanded significantly, with recipients in this age group rising from 5.3% in 2020 to 12.4% in 2023.

The uptake of the SRD grant was highest in the provinces of Limpopo and North West, while the Western Cape, Gauteng, and Northern Cape had the fewest SRD grant recipients.

Conclusion

The data from StatsSA’s General Household Survey underscores the critical role that social grants play in South Africa. As nearly half of the nation’s households now depend on SASSA grants, these financial aids are essential for alleviating poverty and supporting the most vulnerable segments of the population. The trends also highlight the need for continued and possibly expanded social support systems, especially in light of economic challenges and regional disparities.