South Africa's SASSA reports R4.8 billion shortfall in social grants and sets June 2026 SRD payment dates

The Department of Social Development in South Africa disclosed that it spent R281.1 billion of its R285.9 billion social grant budget for the 2025/26 fiscal year, leaving a shortfall of about R4.8 billion. Officials attributed the underspend to stricter verification measures, lower uptake of some grants, and delayed payments for the COVID‑19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant, which alone accounts for R3.1 billion of the gap. Smaller deficits were also noted for the old age, child support and disability grants.

SASSA announced that the SRD grant for June 2026 will be paid during a two‑day window on 24–25 June 2026. To improve service delivery, the agency introduced a WhatsApp self‑service channel for beneficiaries to check grant status, update banking details and receive information without visiting SASSA offices. Beneficiaries were warned about scams and urged to keep their banking information current to avoid payment delays.