South Africa spends nearly R1 billion on Old Age Grants for foreign nationals

A tiny fraction of Older Person Grant beneficiaries are foreign nationals.

Despite this, the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) spends more than R986 million a year giving the grant to permanent residents and refugees.

Foreign Nationals Receiving a Grant

According to SASSA’s half-year report, 34 249 foreign nationals get the Older Person’s or Old Age Grant (OAG).

The overwhelming majority are permanent residents.

Of the 34 249 foreign nationals getting the grant, 34 051 are permanent residents.

Most foreigners getting the grant are permanent residents residing in Gauteng.

The report shows 17 221 permanent residents who get the grant live in Gauteng.

Mpumalanga has the next highest number of foreign nationals receiving an Older Person’s Grant.

The province is home to 5 714 refugees and permanent residents receiving the grant.

In Limpopo, 3 801 foreigners get an Older Person’s Grant.

In the Western Cape, 1 899 foreign nationals get the grant.

The next common grant among foreign nationals is the Child Support Grant.

Among the 46 151 foreign nationals receiving a social grant, 11 802 get the child support grant.

This means SASSA spends roughly R82 million a year paying Child Support Grants to foreign nationals.

Foreigners have also been applying for the Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant.

According to SASSA’s SRD report, at the start of 2026, 75 665 refugees and asylum seekers applied for the R390 grant.

Province	Foreign OAG Beneficiaries	Annual Spend
Gauteng	17 268	R497 318 400
Mpumalanga	5 714	R164 563 200
Limpopo	3 801	R109 468 800
Western Cape	1 899	R54 691 200
KwaZulu-Natal	1 858	R53 510 400
Free State	1 577	R45 417 600
North West	1 159	R33 379 200
Eastern Cape	782	R22 521 600
Northern Cape	191	R5 500 800
Total	34 249	R986 371 200

SASSA is following its mandate by offering social grants to foreign nationals.

To be eligible for the grant, foreigners must meet the same criteria as South African citizens.

For the Older Persons Grant, that means having an income less than R18 700 and assets less than R3.1 million for a married couple.

Single pensioners can’t make more than R9 350 a month or have R1.58 million in assets.

For the Child Support Grant, a married couple cannot earn more than R11 600 a month.

A single parent can’t earn more than R5 800 a month.

However, beneficiaries become ineligible if they are outside of the country for more than 90 days.