SA’s R13bn social grant cuts are arbitrary, cruel and economically short-sighted

Daily Maverick · 10/22/2026, 7:24:19 PM

The Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement cuts R13-billion from social grants, including child support and SRD grants. These reductions will worsen poverty, malnutrition and vulnerability to gender-based violence. Restrictive verification processes exclude eligible recipients, while claims of fraud are used to justify cuts despite available public resources.