‘The pension is too little’: Cape Town pensioner asks Ramaphosa to increase old-age grant

During his campaign ahead of the November 4 local government elections, President Cyril Ramaphosa received a warm welcome from an elderly woman who stopped him during a community walkabout to express her concerns about the state pension.

The pension is too little.

She recalled seeing Ramaphosa years ago and said that he was still “oraait”.

Ramaphosa visited Rylands, Delft, Mfuleni and Khayelitsha during the campaign, focusing on voting, the taxi industry and service delivery.

The appeal comes weeks after senior citizens across the country, under the banner of Pensioners of South Africa (POSA), called on the president and the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) to address their concerns about surviving on a state pension of R2 400 a month.

Several peaceful protests were held across the country, with pensioners calling for the grant to be increased to R5 000 a month.

In response to their concerns at the time, SASSA Western Cape spokesperson Shivani Wahab said the agency acknowledged the plight of senior citizens but that decisions on grant increases were made by the government.

We recognise that many beneficiaries continue to face significant economic challenges as the costs of essential goods and services, including food, transport, electricity and healthcare, continue to rise.

While SASSA is entrusted with administering and paying social grants, it is important to clarify that the agency does not determine the value of social grants or the quantum of annual increases.

The Department of Social Development said various programmes were being run to assist elderly people experiencing financial difficulties.