‘Expenses are more than the money’: SASSA grant recipient on what her survey win means

Nthabiseng Moloi almost let her good news slip away. When she learnt she had won The South African’s survey, she assumed someone was trying to trick her.

Speaking exclusively to The South African, the Child Support Grant beneficiary said she needed time to accept that the win was genuine.

“My first thought was ‘, This must be a scam’. I took time to realise that I actually won,” Moloi said.

Survey entry started as a bit of fun

Moloi said she never expected anything to come from taking part. Like many South Africans, she filled in the survey casually, with no real hope of walking away a winner.

“I usually do these survey for fun not thinking I’ll actually win,” she said.

Her reaction reflects a common caution among grant recipients, who regularly face fake messages, fraudulent links and scammers posing as SASSA or prize-givers. That wariness, Moloi admitted, nearly made her miss out.

Prize offers relief beyond the monthly grant

For Moloi, the win arrives at a time when every rand counts. She said she values the Child Support Grant, but it simply cannot stretch far enough to cover her household’s needs.

“As Child Support grant beneficiary this would come a long way, I really do appreciate the grant but monthly expenses are way more than the money,” she said.

She explained that the prize will help her tackle the bills that often go unpaid.

“It means I’ll be able to cover those costs that are always almost impossible to cover,” Moloi said.

The Child Support Grant remains one of SASSA’s most widely received grants, supporting millions of caregivers across the country. Yet many beneficiaries say rising food, transport and school costs continue to outpace the monthly payment.

Winner encourages South Africans to take part

Now that the shock has worn off, Moloi wants other South Africans to give surveys a chance instead of dismissing them outright.

“I’d advise others to do these surveys and be encouraged as this is real,” she said.

She also shared a message of hope for those struggling to make ends meet.

“I know it’s hard in this economy but let’s do what we can to survive ethically so, it does get better,” Moloi said.

Her story serves as a reminder that while caution online remains important, not every unexpected message is a scam.

Win R2 000 in the South African SASSA grant survey

If you receive a SASSA grant and want to share your story, we want to hear from you.

Take part in our survey and stand a chance to win R2 000. Your responses help us tell the stories that matter.