Disability Grant recipient reveals what SASSA still gets wrong after more than five years

Erika Fourie has nothing left of her grant by the end of each month. The Western Cape woman, aged 45, has received the SASSA Disability Grant for more than five years.

Fourie shared her experience in The South African’s SASSA grant survey. She lives in a shared family home, where one to two people depend on her income.

Disability Grant helps, but falls short

The Old Age and Disability Grants both rose from R2 310 to R2 400 in April 2026. Fourie receives her payment through a Postbank account each month.

She uses the money for a mix of essentials, including food, transport and other household costs. Fourie says the grant helps, but it is not enough to cover her basic needs.

By month-end, nothing remains. Every rand goes towards keeping her household running until the next payment date.

Unlike many grant recipients, Fourie says no one in her household went without food in the past month. Still, the fixed amount leaves no room for savings or unexpected costs.

Late payments and poor communication

Fourie’s grant has not always arrived smoothly. She has experienced a late or missing payment in the past, a problem that hits hard when a household has no financial buffer.

She rates SASSA’s communication with recipients as poor.

When asked what one thing she would change about SASSA, Fourie chose faster and simpler applications. Her answer reflects a frustration shared by many South Africans who must navigate lengthy processes to access support.

Fourie has never applied for additional government support beyond her Disability Grant. She explained that she did not know what else was available to her.

Grant recipient searching for office work

Unemployment is her biggest financial concern. A steady income would ease the pressure on her grant and give her household more security.

For now, Fourie continues to rely on her monthly Disability Grant while she searches for a way back into the workplace.

Win R2 000 in the South African SASSA grant survey

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