The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) began operating in 2006, paying out approximately 12 million social grants. Over the past two decades, this number has increased substantially. By last year, the figure had risen to 26.6 million, including the Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant. This represents a significant increase as a proportion of the estimated population, rising from about 25% to 41%.
A notable surge in grant recipients occurred during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the government introduced the SRD grant to support individuals without income. The grant, currently worth R370 per month, added around eight million people to the social grant system. Initially intended as temporary relief, it has been extended repeatedly, most recently until March 2028.
The number of grant recipients peaked at nearly 29 million in 2021/22. Excluding the SRD grant, the number of people receiving regular grants has grown from about 12 million in 2006/07 to 18.8 million in 2025/26. The child support grant accounts for the majority of regular grant beneficiaries, with the number of children receiving it increasing from 7.9 million in 2006/07 to approximately 12.6 million in 2025/26.
The old age grant has also experienced significant growth, with the number of recipients almost doubling from 2.2 million to 4.2 million. One of the fastest periods of growth for social grant recipients was between 2009 and 2012, when eligibility for the child support grant was extended to older children.
As the number of grants has increased, so has the amount the government spends on them. However, this expenditure has remained stable at just over 11% of total government spending. Despite years of growth, the number of grant beneficiaries (excluding the SRD grant) decreased from approximately 19.3 million to 18.8 million during 2025/26, representing a drop of 2.2%.
According to SASSA's 2025/26 annual report, most of the decline was in the child support and foster care grants. The Treasury projects that the number of regular grant beneficiaries will continue to fall, from 17.8 million in 2026/27 to 17.1 million by 2029/30. This decrease is attributed to stronger verification measures aimed at saving R13.1 billion over three years.
SASSA has intensified reviews of beneficiaries' eligibility, including checks against bank and government records. The aim is to identify grants that were approved incorrectly or fraudulently, rather than remove support from those who still qualify. The government has extended the SRD grant until March 2028 while developing a proposed Basic Income Support policy for unemployed working-age adults, which is expected to be revised and returned to Cabinet by March 2027.
Key points
- The number of South Africans receiving SASSA grants has increased from 12 million in 2006 to 26.6 million.
- The Covid-19 SRD grant added around eight million people to the social grant system.
- The number of grant recipients is projected to decline further due to stronger verification measures.
