As pensioners across South Africa rally for bigger social grants, about 250 Mitchells Plain residents have joined the nationwide call for relief.

The pensioners gathered outside the SASSA offices on Monday, 7 September 2026, saying the rising cost of living has made it increasingly difficult to survive on the current grant of R2 400 a month.

The picket formed part of a national campaign by Pensioners of South Africa (POSA), calling for an increase in grants for elderly South Africans.

For pensioners who have spent decades working and contributing to society, many say they are now being forced to make impossible choices between food, electricity, water and other basic needs.

Speaking to Smile FM News, one pensioner described how quickly her monthly grant disappears just trying to keep her household going.

“I live alone and have no other form of income. I have to ensure that I have enough money for my rates, my food, water, electricity and the clothing I wear. By the time I have done all my deductions for the month, I barely have anything left to buy food for the rest of the month.”

But for some elderly people, the burden does not end with their own needs. They are also raising children and grandchildren, despite having only a small grant to rely on.

One pensioner said many are caring for grandchildren and great-grandchildren after their own children were unable to care for them.

“Many pensioners are caregivers to their grandchildren and great-grandchildren because many of our children are on drugs and left their children in our care. How is government expecting us to live on R2 400 a month, which comes to about R80 a day?”

And when the money runs out, some pensioners say they have little choice but to borrow.

For one pensioner, this has created a painful cycle of debt, where borrowing money to survive means having even less of their grant left at the end of the month.

“We have to borrow money and at the end of the month, the people we borrow from take our cards and go and withdraw our SASSA and give us the change, which means we have to go and borrow money again. We need this increase to restore our dignity because we can’t live like this forever.”

For those who gathered outside the SASSA offices, the demonstration was not simply about asking for more money. It was a call for dignity, relief and the chance to live out their later years without having to choose between putting food on the table and keeping the lights on.

POSA wants the monthly pension grant increased from the current R2 400 to R5 000, saying many older people are struggling to cover their basic needs.

POSA founder Chef JC says pensioners are being forced to make difficult choices just to survive.

“There are millions of senior citizens that have to choose between food, electricity and water.”

He says older people have spent decades contributing to the country and deserve to live with dignity.

“These are the people that built the country and came out of the trenches. Our senior citizens have spent decades building our communities, raising families, contributing to the economy and helping shape the nation we all share today. They deserve to be seen, heard and treated with dignity and respect.”

This article has been updated to include the latest developments.