The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has confirmed that the majority of social grant beneficiaries will not receive their April 2026 payments before the Easter long weekend — a blow to millions of households that depend on these funds for basic necessities.
According to SASSA’s official payment schedule, Children’s Grant recipients — numbering more than 13 million — will only receive their money on Wednesday, 8 April, nearly a week after the Easter break begins. The agency attributed the unusual mid-month Wednesday payment date to a schedule approved by the National Treasury for the 2026/27 financial year.
Older Person Grants fared slightly better, with over four million pensioners confirmed to receive their increased payments before the long weekend. From April 2026, the over-60s grant rises by R80 to R2 400, while over-75s will receive R2 420 — modest increases that civil society groups say fall well short of what is needed given rising fuel and electricity costs.
Child Support Grants also see below-expectations increases: the grant rises from R560 to R580, an increase of R20 that critics say barely keeps pace with headline inflation. The increases are linked to the country’s projected inflation rate of 3.4%, though conflict in the Middle East and domestic fuel shocks have already pushed actual inflation above those estimates.
SASSA urged beneficiaries to plan accordingly and avoid unnecessary trips to payment points before their designated dates. The agency reiterated its commitment to timely payments and encouraged anyone experiencing delays to seek assistance at their nearest SASSA office.
