Increase South Africa’s Old Age Grant to Ensure Dignified Living for Pensioners
Increase South Africa’s Old Age Grant to Ensure Dignified Living for Pensioners
The Issue
The Issue
In South Africa, over 4 million elderly citizens rely on the Older Persons Grant—R2,335 per month (or R2,355 for those over 75)—to survive. But this amount, isn’t enough to cover basic needs like food, medicine, or rent in 2025’s economy. Inflation outpaces grant increases, and a crippling housing shortage leaves many pensioners homeless, in overcrowded shacks, or skipping meals to support struggling families. Corruption in SASSA’s payment systems and housing programs worsens the crisis, with funds often misdirected while elders queue anxiously for delayed grants.
Our pensioners—grandparents, caregivers, survivors of apartheid—deserve dignity, not desperation. The current grant falls short of a livable income, and systemic failures deny them safe homes. We cannot let corruption and inaction rob our elders of their rights.
Our Demand
We urge the South African government, specifically the Minister of Social Development and the National Treasury, to:
Increase the Older Persons Grant to at least R4,000 per month, indexed to a “dignified living” basket that accounts for rising housing and healthcare costs.
Fast-track affordable housing for seniors through public-private partnerships, prioritizing subsidized rentals and care facilities.
Audit and reform SASSA to eliminate corruption, ensuring timely grant payments and transparent fund allocation.
Why It Matters
R2,335 buys 20% less than it did five years ago, while urban rents soar beyond R3,000 for basic rooms.
Over 80% of low-income households, including pensioners, can’t access formal housing due to shortages.
Many elders are sole breadwinners, feeding grandchildren while sacrificing their own health.
Corruption scandals, like tender fraud, divert funds meant for the vulnerable.
Call to Action
Sign this petition to demand a pension that guarantees dignity and security. Share the stories of elders struggling to survive—your voice can shame leaders into action. Let’s deliver 50,000 signatures to Parliament and the Public Protector to hold the ANC government accountable. Together, we can ensure our pensioners live, not just survive.
Sign now to give South Africa’s elders the respect they’ve earned.
21
The Issue
The Issue
In South Africa, over 4 million elderly citizens rely on the Older Persons Grant—R2,335 per month (or R2,355 for those over 75)—to survive. But this amount, isn’t enough to cover basic needs like food, medicine, or rent in 2025’s economy. Inflation outpaces grant increases, and a crippling housing shortage leaves many pensioners homeless, in overcrowded shacks, or skipping meals to support struggling families. Corruption in SASSA’s payment systems and housing programs worsens the crisis, with funds often misdirected while elders queue anxiously for delayed grants.
Our pensioners—grandparents, caregivers, survivors of apartheid—deserve dignity, not desperation. The current grant falls short of a livable income, and systemic failures deny them safe homes. We cannot let corruption and inaction rob our elders of their rights.
Our Demand
We urge the South African government, specifically the Minister of Social Development and the National Treasury, to:
Increase the Older Persons Grant to at least R4,000 per month, indexed to a “dignified living” basket that accounts for rising housing and healthcare costs.
Fast-track affordable housing for seniors through public-private partnerships, prioritizing subsidized rentals and care facilities.
Audit and reform SASSA to eliminate corruption, ensuring timely grant payments and transparent fund allocation.
Why It Matters
R2,335 buys 20% less than it did five years ago, while urban rents soar beyond R3,000 for basic rooms.
Over 80% of low-income households, including pensioners, can’t access formal housing due to shortages.
Many elders are sole breadwinners, feeding grandchildren while sacrificing their own health.
Corruption scandals, like tender fraud, divert funds meant for the vulnerable.
Call to Action
Sign this petition to demand a pension that guarantees dignity and security. Share the stories of elders struggling to survive—your voice can shame leaders into action. Let’s deliver 50,000 signatures to Parliament and the Public Protector to hold the ANC government accountable. Together, we can ensure our pensioners live, not just survive.
Sign now to give South Africa’s elders the respect they’ve earned.
21
The Decision Makers
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Petition created on 11 October 2025