A retired pensioner renting privately says his monthly payment is not an issue for him but reveals how far it actually stretches.
Dwyer, in his sixties, has received the SASSA Older Person’s Grant for between one and three years, relying on the R2 400 monthly payment to cover his single biggest cost: rent.
Dwyer lives alone and rents privately, with no dependents drawing on his income. He told The South African that his grant “helps but it is not enough,” and said only a small amount typically remains once rent and essentials are paid. His biggest financial concern right now is the cost of living and rising food prices, a pressure echoed by pensioners nationwide as inflation continues to erode the value of fixed grant payments.
Additionally, despite the financial strain, Dwyer said he has never had anyone in his household go without food, a small relief in a system where many recipients report the opposite. He receives his grant directly into his Absa account and confirmed the process has been straightforward, with no payment issues to report. He rated SASSA’s communication with recipients as adequate.
Dwyer said he has never applied for any additional government assistance beyond his Older Person’s Grant, explaining simply that he did not know what else was available. It’s a gap that experts say affects many elderly recipients, who often remain unaware of supplementary programmes that could ease pressure on their fixed incomes.
Asked what single change he would make to the system, his answer matched that of countless other pensioners: increase the grant amount.
Dwyer’s story carries none of the drama of a grant dispute or payment delay. Instead, it reflects a quieter concern facing South Africa’s elderly: doing everything right, receiving the support they’re entitled to, and still finding it falls short. Also, with rent, food and transport costs climbing steadily, pensioners on fixed incomes are increasingly forced into difficult trade-offs each month.
Dwyer’s experience adds to a growing body of testimony from Older Person’s Grant recipients calling for the payment to be reviewed. For now, he continues to manage on what he receives, prioritising a roof over his head above all else.
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