‘Everything is going up’: Pensioners call for grant increase as expenses rise [VIDEO]

Residents from the Eden Park community spoke withThe Citizenabout the challenges of being South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) grant recipients amid rising costs. The elderly say that old age has been tough, especially when the money they receive to cover their expenses does not even last them two weeks before they have to borrow money from others. The Sassa social relief grant is offered to those who meet the requirements that allow them to receive financial assistance on a monthly basis.

During a time when the retired are supposed to experience financial relief and reward after years of work, rising costs are causing more stress than calmness for the elderly, who worry about burial costs, among others. Some pensioners who have been struggling for years with limited finances spoke toThe Citizenabout the challenges they face amid the cold winter season. “Diesel prices are going up, food and groceries too.

And that doesn’t even include our burial bookings that need to be paid off,” says Queen from Eden Park. “We can’t even afford the few basic necessities with the R2 000. How are we going to manage at the end of the day?” she asks.

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Irene further explained that the R2 400 Sassa grant is not enough to get them through the month. “We still have to pay church societies, grannies’ club, and we still have to pay church tithes.” Irene says that once the R1 000 has been spent, there is no more money.

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