Government

Ramaphosa says a new social grant is coming this year

Staff Writer

 ·12 Feb 2026

President Cyril Ramaphosa has repeated a promise made at multiple State of the Nation Addresses (SONAs) over the past years, assuring that a new income support grant is on the way.

Speaking at his 2026 SONA on Thursday (12 February), said that the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant has been a great success in the country, helping millions of people who have become dependent on it.

He confirmed that the grant would be extended indefinitely, adding that it would be completely redesigned in 2026 and linked to various employment-seeking criteria.

“Since it was introduced during COVID-19, the Social Relief of Distress Grant has kept millions of South Africans out of food poverty,” the president said.

“As a transformative instrument to improve the lives of the poorest and most vulnerable people, this grant will be continued.”

“This year, we will redesign the grant to more effectively support livelihoods, skills development, work opportunities and productive activity.”

More than 28 million unemployed and vulnerable people receive social grants in South Africa, including the SRD grant that was introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The SRD grant, currently set at R370 per month, has become a lifeline for the 8 million recipients in South Africa who rely on it.

The president previously noted that the SRD grant, which was always intended to be a temporary measure, has become an “essential mechanism for alleviating extreme poverty”.

The grant has been renewed in the budget every year since its introduction, with the latest extension granted in 2025, set to end in March 2027.

While Treasury has confirmed that the grant is funded until March 2027, there were no clear signs that it would continue beyond that.

However, Ramaphosa has now given a clear signal that renewals will continue.

Notably, the government has moved from referring to the grant as a “basic income grant” – envisioned as one to which all qualifying persons would be entitled – to a more specific “income support” grant, specifically for the unemployed.

This reflects a recurring trend where talk of some kind of universal income grant has been downplayed and a more focused approach has been taken.

The National Treasury, for example, expressed a desire to change the SRD grant to tie support to employment and skills programmes.

A key reason for wanting more limiting conditions is the steep cost of the grant, which adds R40 billion to the country’s budget each year.

Making the grant universal, or increasing its value, would see the budget item balloon – something the country simply cannot afford.

More details about the future of the SRD grant and possible indications of what will follow are expected in the 2026 Budget Speech, which will be delivered by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana later this month.

(Updates with quotes from Ramaphosa’s speech)