Parliament has been urged to motivate for a R600 increase in the old-age grant, which would raise the monthly payment from R2 400 to R3 000.
The proposal was presented during public hearings on the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS), hosted by Parliament’s Standing and Select Committees on Finance.
The submission was made by Math is not Mathing, an independent public interest initiative advocating for an increase in the grant to help older people cope with the rising cost of living.
Presenting on behalf of the organisation, Geraldine Prinsloo questioned how pensioners were expected to cover their basic needs with the current monthly grant.
“After food, electricity, accommodation, transport and medication, can we please explain to the South African elderly how they are expected to live on R2 400 per month?” Prinsloo asked.
She argued that although government budgets may appear balanced on paper, the financial realities facing vulnerable citizens tell a different story.
“A budget can balance perfectly on paper, while the lives it is supposed to sustain remain financially impossible,” she said.
Prinsloo called for the old-age grant to be increased to R3 000 per month, saying the additional R600 would help pensioners meet their essential living expenses.