WENTWORTH pensioner Lorraine Callaghan, 74, believes that being a pensioner after many years of hard work in South Africa is not the blessing as God intended it to be.

She, along with many other Wentworth residents, have expressed their support for Pensioners of South Africa’s (Posa) call to increase the older persons grant to R5000

Also read: Sassa responds to pensioners’ call to increase grant

Callaghan said that for far too long, senior citizens have had to try and make ends meet while the economy worsens. She said they are expected to pay the same prices for essential products as regular citizens while receiving a significantly lower income.

“My neighbour and I could go the shops and buy the same basic groceries. For them that would be pocket money while for me that is money that had to be tightly budgeted for,” she said.

According to Callaghan, every month has become a balancing act between things she needs and things she inevitably has to sacrifice.

“One month I am able to get a set of a certain medication, but the next month I need to pay for other expenses that is much more urgent. Every month is different. I simply do not have the luxury of getting everything I want or need,” she said.

Monthly expenses of seniors

Pensioners currently receive R2400 and with that Callaghan said they are expected to pay the following

• Light bill –R1500
• Water bill –R1000
• Basic groceries – R1500
• Vitamins and medication – R1500  
• Transport –R800
• Cleaning products –R800

Callaghan said that as senior citizens they should not be fighting for basic necessities. She believes they should be enjoying their recess now, yet every month they are expected to survive on a meagre grant.

Also read: KZN Sassa pushes grants online services

“Shame on you, South African government. You have failed your senior citizens horribly. We are the people who fought so that people in your generation could take the positions you do and in return you throw us the crumbs that you sweep off your table,” she said.

Posa rose to the occasion to advocate for senior citizens across the country, with a nationwide picket on September 7. Wentworth residents sat outside the Austerville South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) office calling for increases as well as dignity. 

Speaking up for senior citizens 

JC Alex, co-founder of Posa, said that the movement was founded after witnessing the raw, undignified struggles of their own elderly family members.

 “The current monthly grant is hopelessly too little. It is swallowed up by soaring utility tariffs and basic food inflation in a single day, forcing our grannies and grandpas to choose between buying life-saving medication or keeping the lights on,” he said.

Following the nationwide picket, which Alex believes has sent a powerful message to the country, he said they will continue to take the fight directly to the relevant authorities to hold them accountable. 

“We will stand firm and intensify our peaceful call for basic human dignity until the system is completely restructured,” he said. 

It is not under Sassa’s jurisdiction

Sassa’s media liaison, Andile Tshona, said that Sassa advocates and believes everyone has the right to voice their discontent. However, Tshona said that calls to increase the grant do not fall under their mandate.

“Sassa’s mandate does not extend to determining how much is paid. That competency lies with National Treasury and Sassa only implements a directive,” said Tshona.

He added that any issues around increases should be directed through the right channels at government. 

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