For Percy Noah, the Children’s Grant is not a bonus; it is a lifeline. The KwaZulu-Natal father works full-time and still depends on the R580-per-child monthly payment to keep his children in school. He has received a grant for three to five years, and its uses are straightforward: “school fees or children’s needs.”
Noah directs every cent toward education and daily essentials. The money arrives reliably, “deposited into my bank account” and goes straight to his children. He has also applied for additional support and was successful.
The gap between income and reality
A full-time salary does not close the gap. When asked whether the grant covers his needs, Noah is direct: “No, I regularly struggle to make ends meet.” His money runs out before the month ends, and he has gone without food. These are not occasional hardships; they are the monthly rhythm of a household where income, even with grant support, falls short.
At R580 per child, the grant has not kept pace with rising school fees, food prices, or transport costs. When asked what he would change about the system, Noah’s answer is unambiguous: “Increase the grant amount.”
A grant that works, but needs to go further
Noah rates SASSA as “very good.” The payment arrives without hassle, and the application process has been straightforward. Administratively, the system delivers.
But delivery is not the same as adequacy. “I like to see this SASSA grant continue for many more years to come and support those children with no mothers or fathers, to give them more hope in their lives,” he said.
For Noah, the Child Support Grant works. It just does not work hard enough.
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.
