October grants will be paid from October 2. Beneficiaries facing a grant review or still using a SASSA Gold Card should also take note of steps that may affect access to their money.

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has confirmed the October 2026 payment dates for permanent social grants.

According to the Department of Social Development’s approved 2026/27 schedule, payments will be made on:

• Older Persons Grant: Friday, October 2
• Disability Grant: Monday, October 5
• Children’s Grants: Tuesday, October 6

SASSA says it schedules permanent grants as early in the month as possible, while staggering payments to ease pressure on the payment system. October’s disability payment falls after the weekend.

Beneficiaries selected for a grant review should pay attention to any SMS from SASSA. The agency introduced a fourth payment day for beneficiaries under review in August and warned that failing to complete a requested review could lead to a grant being suspended or lapsing. SASSA has not announced a separate fourth payment date for October in its published annual schedule.

Social Development Minister Dina Pule said in July that government aimed to review more than 350,000 grants during the 2026/27 financial year to check that beneficiaries remain eligible. SASSA advises people called for a review to bring the documents requested in their notification; these may include identification, proof of income and recent bank statements.

The October payment will also be the second since the August 31 deadline to replace SASSA Gold Cards with Postbank Black Cards. Postbank said grants would continue to be paid into affected beneficiaries’ accounts, but those who missed the card deadline would need to complete the switch to access their money. Replacement sites remain available, the process is free, and beneficiaries can dial *120*355# to find a participating site. They must bring an ID or temporary ID.

For problems with a Gold or Black Card, Postbank directs beneficiaries to its service sites or 0800 5354 55. SASSA says beneficiaries experiencing other grant payment problems should visit their nearest SASSA office.

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