• Mother of four Mamkheti Maupa says her children’s grants help put food on the table but do not last the whole month.

• Families with grants under review could wait until 7 September for payment, leaving struggling parents worried about feeding their children.

For 45-year-old mother of four Mamkheti Maupa, grant payment day brings relief. It means she can put food on the table for her children.

But that relief does not last long.

Mamkheti, who lives with her four children in Atteridgeville, has received support from the South African Social Security Agency since 2013.

She sometimes sells second-hand clothes to bring in extra money. But with few job opportunities and the cost of everyday essentials putting pressure on her household, she says the grants remain an important lifeline.

“Getting SASSA is a relief. There is so much unemployment. I look forward every month to getting the money so that I can buy food for my children,” she said.

Most of the money goes straight towards food.

But Mamkheti also has to think about her children’s school needs. That can leave her facing a difficult choice between buying groceries and paying for uniforms or stationery.

All four of her children receive grants, but she says the money still runs out long before the next payment.

“SASSA money is not enough. Even though it does a little, things are very expensive. The food I buy does not even last the whole month. It is close to half a month,” she said.

Mamkheti said the grants are meant to support her children and cannot cover everything the whole household needs.

That makes the possibility of a delayed payment frightening.

She said any delay caused by a grant review makes it harder to buy food when her family needs it and puts even more pressure on a household already struggling to make ends meet.

“If there is a delay, it is very stressful and I can’t buy food in time,” she said.

For Mamkheti, missing a payment would not simply mean cutting back on a few expenses. She said she could be forced to borrow money, ask others for help or turn to charity just to make sure her children eat.

“I would be stressed, going to borrow money or ask for charity or beg on the streets. It would be unsafe because children would be hungry, and children can’t stand hunger,” she said.

The South African Social Security Agency has confirmed that a fourth payment day will remain in place for beneficiaries whose grants are under review during the September 2026 payment cycle.

Older persons’ grants will be paid on 2 September. Disability grants will follow on 3 September, with children’s grants paid on 4 September.

Beneficiaries whose grants are under review and who do not receive their money during the normal payment cycle will be paid on 7 September, as long as they have met the review requirements.

The agency said beneficiaries selected for a review should respond to its request and provide all required documents.

These may include an identity document, proof of income, bank statements and proof of residence.

People can also use the agency’s WhatsApp enquiry service on 082 601 0111 to check whether they have been selected for a review or need to complete a verification process.

For Mamkheti, every payment matters.

The grants may not stretch to the end of the month, but they help her meet one of her family’s most basic needs: putting food on the table.

And when the food already lasts only about half the month, even a few extra days waiting for that money can make life much harder.

Pictured above: Mother of four Mamkheti Maupa, who relies on her children’s grants to help put food on the table.

Image source: Supplied