SASSA announces ALL payment dates for December 2026

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has confirmed the social grant payment dates for December 2026. Payments return to the regular schedule after November’s once-off adjustment.

In a media statement issued on 28 October 2026, SASSA said the payment dates for December 2026 through to March 2027 “will remain as initially announced.”

SASSA PAYMENT DATES FOR DECEMBER 2026

SASSA will pay grants on the following dates:

• Older Persons Grants: Wednesday, 2 December 2026
• Disability Grants: Thursday, 3 December 2026
• Children’s Grants: Friday, 4 December 2026

The agency reminded grant recipients that the special November dates were necessary because of the Local Government Elections. Under that arrangement, SASSA paid Older Persons Grants on 30 October, Disability Grants on 2 November and Children’s Grants on 3 November.

SASSA said “these adjustments apply only to November 2026 and should not be interpreted as a permanent change to the social grant payment schedule.”

Because December payments arrive early in the month, grant recipients face a longer wait over the festive season. The January 2027 payment cycle begins on 5 January with Older Persons Grants, followed by Disability Grants on 6 January and Children’s Grants on 7 January.

HOW MUCH GRANT RECIPIENTS WILL RECEIVE

Grant amounts remain at the levels that took effect in April 2026, following the Minister of Finance’s Budget Speech:

• Older Persons, Disability and Care Dependency Grants: R2 400
• War Veterans Grant: R2 420
• Foster Child Grant: R1 290
• Child Support Grant and Grant-in-Aid: R580

SASSA urged grant recipients who do not receive their money on the specified dates to visit their nearest SASSA local office for assistance.

SASSA WARNS AGAINST IGNORING REVIEW NOTICES

SASSA also called on grant recipients who receive review notifications not to ignore them. The agency said failure to respond to a review notice may result in the suspension of grant payments.

Grant recipients can check whether their grants are under review by sending “Hi” on WhatsApp to 082 601 0111. The service also offers eLife Certification and grant applications.

SASSA further reminded grant recipients to update their details whenever their circumstances change, including their marital status, financial situation, address and cellphone number. The agency warned that outdated contact details could cause people to miss important notifications.

SASSA urged South Africans to rely only on official SASSA channels for payment information and to avoid unverified messages about changes to payment dates.

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