South Africa spends nearly R1 billion on Old Age Grants for foreign nationals

A tiny fraction of Older Person Grant beneficiaries are foreign nationals.

Despite this, the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) spends more than R986 million a year giving the grant to permanent residents and refugees.

Foreign Nationals Receiving a Grant

According to SASSA’s half-year report, 34 249 foreign nationals get the Older Person’s or Old Age Grant (OAG).

The overwhelming majority are permanent residents.

Of the 34 249 foreign nationals getting the grant, 34 051 are permanent residents.

Most foreigners getting the grant are permanent residents residing in Gauteng.

The report shows 17 221 permanent residents who get the grant live in Gauteng.

Mpumalanga has the next highest number of foreign nationals receiving an Older Person’s Grant.

The province is home to 5 714 refugees and permanent residents receiving the grant.

In Limpopo, 3 801 foreigners get an Older Person’s Grant.

In the Western Cape, 1 899 foreign nationals get the grant.

The next common grant among foreign nationals is the Child Support Grant.

Among the 46 151 foreign nationals receiving a social grant, 11 802 get the child support grant.

This means SASSA spends roughly R82 million a year paying Child Support Grants to foreign nationals.

Foreigners have also been applying for the Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant.

According to SASSA’s SRD report, at the start of 2026, 75 665 refugees and asylum seekers applied for the R390 grant.

ProvinceForeign OAG BeneficiariesAnnual SpendGauteng17 268 R497 318 400Mpumalanga5 714R164 563 200Limpopo3 801R109 468 800Western Cape1 899R54 691 200KwaZulu-Natal1 858R53 510 400Free State1 577R45 417 600North West1 159R33 379 200Eastern Cape782R22 521 600Northern Cape191R5 500 800Total34 249R986 371 200

Criteria for Getting a Social Grant

SASSA is following its mandate by offering social grants to foreign nationals.

To be eligible for the grant, foreigners must meet the same criteria as South African citizens.

For the Older Persons Grant, that means having an income less than R18 700 and assets less than R3.1 million for a married couple.

Single pensioners can’t make more than R9 350 a month or have R1.58 million in assets.

For the Child Support Grant, a married couple cannot earn more than R11 600 a month.

A single parent can’t earn more than R5 800 a month.

However, beneficiaries become ineligible if they are outside of the country for more than 90 days.