The South African Department of Social Development disclosed that it allocated R1.27 billion to South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) grants for legal foreign nationals during the 2025/26 financial year. This information was revealed in a written reply to a parliamentary question by Action Team for Transformation (ATM) MP Vuyo Zungula. The expenditure on foreign nationals eligible for social assistance constituted less than 1% of the total social assistance budget for 2025/2026.
According to the department, payments were distributed across various grant types, including the care dependency grant, child support grant, disability grant, foster child grant, grant-in-aid, and old age grant. A significant portion, R1.12 billion, was spent on permanent residents. The old-age grant and child support grant accounted for the largest shares, with R931.5 million and R134.5 million, respectively.
Expenditure on refugees totalled R150.8 million, with the child support grant and old-age grant being the most significant, costing R105.8 million and R32.7 million, respectively. Additionally, R10.6 million in social relief of distress (SRD) grants was paid to qualifying foreign nationals. This included holders of special Angolan dispensation permits, Lesotho exemption permits, Zimbabwean exemption permits, and valid asylum seeker permits.
The SRD grant assistance is strictly limited to qualifying individuals between the ages of 18 and 60 who have insufficient financial means. Eligible groups include South African citizens, permanent residents, recognised refugees, special dispensation/exemption permit holders, and asylum seekers with valid section 22 permits under the Refugees Act. To qualify, recipients must be registered on either the department of home affairs database or Sassa’s social grant system with a valid unique identification number.
Furthermore, recipients must not reside in a government-funded institution or unreasonably refuse employment or educational opportunities. The department emphasised that it is constitutionally obligated to ensure access to social security for all eligible residents. According to regulation 2(e) of the social assistance regulations, a person qualifies for a social grant if they are a South African citizen, a permanent resident, or a refugee residing in the Republic of South Africa.
Sassa is legally mandated to provide social assistance to qualifying South African citizens, permanent residents, and recognised refugees residing in South Africa who meet the prescribed eligibility criteria. The department reiterated that social assistance is strictly unavailable to anyone unlawfully present in the country. Sassa’s eligibility verification processes, including verification against department of home affairs records, are designed to ensure compliance with the legislative framework governing social assistance.
The department's commitment to providing social assistance to eligible residents is clear. Sassa does not provide social grants or SRD benefits to illegal immigrants or any person unlawfully present in the republic. This stance is in line with the legislative framework and ensures that assistance reaches those who are legally and genuinely in need.
Key points
- The Department of Social Development spent R1.27 billion on Sassa grants for legal foreign nationals in 2025/26.
- Expenditure on foreign nationals accounted for less than 1% of the total social assistance budget for 2025/2026.
- Sassa is mandated to provide social assistance to qualifying citizens, permanent residents, and recognised refugees who meet the prescribed eligibility criteria.
