Pretoria – 4 June 2026

The South African government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting vulnerable citizens by allocating the majority of the Department of Social Development’s budget to social assistance programmes.Speaking during the Budget Vote 19 presentation before the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), Acting Minister of Social Development, Ms Sindisiwe Chikunga, announced that R293 billion of the department’s R302 billion budget will be directed towards social assistance.

This funding will provide monthly support to children, older persons, people with disabilities, and beneficiaries of the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant.Currently, approximately 27 million South Africans, representing 43% of the country’s population, benefit from social assistance. This includes more than 19 million permanent grant beneficiaries and about 7.8 million SRD recipients.

Government invests around R22 billion every month in permanent social grants and has allocated R36.4 billion to continue the SRD grant until March 2027. An additional R300 million has been set aside to cover increased administrative costs associated with the programme.To combat fraud and corruption, the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has allocated R77 million for fraud investigations and is strengthening its grant review processes.

The agency will continue cross-checking beneficiary information with the National Population Register and banking institutions to ensure only eligible recipients receive support.The Department is also expanding community outreach programmes, particularly in areas affected by child malnutrition, through collaboration with the Departments of Health, Home Affairs and the South African Police Service.Efforts to improve livelihoods and reduce unemployment will continue through partnerships with organisations such as FinMark Trust and BRAC, while the National Development Agency is supporting community-owned enterprises across all nine provinces.

Government is further investing in the fight against substance abuse, gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), and child abuse. Financial support is currently provided to 142 shelters nationwide, while additional social workers and GBVF ambassadors will be deployed to strengthen prevention and response programmes in identified hotspot areas.

The Department also continues to advance child protection initiatives through the 365 Child Protection Campaign, urging all South Africans to take collective responsibility for the safety and wellbeing of children.Closing her address, Minister Chikunga called on citizens to embrace the spirit of community responsibility, reminding South Africans of the principle:

“Your child is my child, and my child is your child.”The government’s expanded social assistance programme reflects its ongoing commitment to reducing poverty, fighting inequality, and creating opportunities for a more inclusive and sustainable future for all South Africans.