Will SASSA pensioners get more money in 2027? Godongwana responds
No decision has been made on a possible increase to the SASSA older persons grant for 2027/28. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana says the matter will be decided during the Budget process and announced in February 2027
Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana has stated that the decision on whether Older Persons Grant recipients will receive a substantial increase in their monthly payout for the 2027/28 financial year will not be announced until February 2027. This response came in a written answer to a parliamentary inquiry from uMkhonto we Sizwe Party MP Adil Nchabeleng, who questioned whether the government was contemplating a more significant boost to the Older Persons Grant amid escalating costs of living, such as food, electricity, transportation, and healthcare expenses.
Godongwana clarified that determinations regarding social grant raises are currently being examined as part of the 2027 MTEF budget process, which assesses affordability and competing governmental spending priorities. Once Cabinet has endorsed the plan, the Minister of Finance will reveal any modifications when the budget is presented in February 2027.
He also refuted assertions that typical yearly increases to the Older Persons Grant typically span between R10 and R20. Instead, he noted that the grant was augmented by R85 per month in the 2026/27 financial year, equating to a 3.7% increase, while beneficiaries experienced a boost of R130, or 5.9%, in the 2025/26 financial year.
Godongwana emphasized that social grant adjustments are contingent on inflation trends, including projected CPI and food price inflation, yet the exact extent of modifications is determined by fiscal resources available and prevailing economic circumstances. The government strives to maintain the purchasing power of social grants and offer aid to susceptible households, all while balancing this objective with other essential public spending priorities.
The final decision on grant increases will be announced after the Cabinet approves the budget proposals and the national budget is presented in February 2027. Adjustments to the budget for the 2026/27 financial year will be disclosed during the tabling of the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement and the Adjustments Appropriation Bill.
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