South Africa’s Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant will remain unchanged at R370 per month in the 2026 budget, while other social grants will see modest increases, according to Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana. The announcement, made during the 2026 Budget Review on 25 February, has sparked mixed reactions among social grant recipients and the public.

SRD Grant Remains Unchanged

During his speech in Parliament, Godongwana confirmed that the SRD grant, introduced during the height of the pandemic, will stay at its current level of R370 per month per beneficiary. The grant is set to continue until 31 March 2027, with an additional R36.4 billion allocated to extend payments beyond the initial 2025/26 financial year.

Godongwana explained that the government plans to transition the SRD grant into a long-term livelihood grant in the coming year. ‘What we will then be doing during the course of the year, between now and the next financial year, is to give content to that,’ he said.

Other Social Grants See Increases

While the SRD grant remains unchanged, other social grants will see increases, according to the Department of Social Development. The old age (pension) grant will rise from R2,315 to R2,400, while the war veterans grant will increase from R2,335 to R2,420. The disability grant will also see an increase, from R2,315 to R2,400.

Other grants, including the support care grant, care dependency grant, and child support grant, will also see modest increases. The support care grant will rise from R1,250 to R1,295, and the child support grant will increase from R560 to R580. The grant-in-aid will also go up from R560 to R580.

According to the Department of Social Development, social grants constitute the largest share of spending on social development. Excluding the SRD grant, spending on social grants will increase from R246.6 billion in 2025/26 to R276.5 billion in 2028/29.

Public Reaction Mixed

Social media users have expressed mixed reactions to the budget announcement. Some expressed frustration over the SRD grant remaining unchanged, with one user commenting, ‘The government gives old people R80, and then they go and buy cars for their children. So, they don’t care what happens to the old people.’

Others voiced concerns over the adequacy of the increases. ‘I’m really not happy. This money is too little. We pay funeral policies and accounts close to R1,000. I am left with peanuts. We need more to survive,’ one user said.

Charmaine Botha, a social media user, said, ‘It’s shocking what they think of the senior citizens.’

Besides the social grants, Godongwana also announced increased funding for security sectors. The Border Management Authority will receive additional resources to tackle illegal immigration, while the South African National Defence Force and the South African Police Service will get extra funds for crime prevention operations.

With the SRD grant remaining at R370 and other grants receiving modest increases, the budget review highlights the ongoing challenges faced by social grant recipients. The government faces mounting pressure to ensure that the increases are sufficient to meet the basic needs of vulnerable populations.

As the financial year progresses, the implementation of the SRD grant’s transition to a livelihood grant will be closely watched. The Department of Social Development has confirmed that more details on the transition will be provided in the coming months.