They told her it was impossible. That she’d get what everyone else gets. But this SASSA mom didn’t settle—and walked away with R1,000 more in her account. Here’s how.”
In the heart of Limpopo, a single mother of three, Zanele Mahlangu, found herself doing what most SASSA recipients never even imagine: earning more than what her slip said she should.
She didn't bribe anyone. She didn’t lie. She simply paid attention—and found a legal loophole that most South Africans ignore every month.
This is not a scam. Not a hoax. Not “too good to be true.” This is a real-life story about how information is power, especially when you know how the grant system works.
Her Story Begins with a R480 Shortfall
Zanele had been collecting her Child Support Grant like clockwork. Every month. Same pay point. Same slip. Same total.
Until one day, she realised something wasn’t adding up.
“My cousin in Mpumalanga was getting more than me. Same number of kids. Same grant. I thought maybe she was lying—but when I saw her slip, I was shocked,” Zanele said.
Zanele was receiving R510 per child. Her cousin? R530.
That led her to a rabbit hole of research, phone calls, and queues at the SASSA help desk—and what she found could change how thousands of people approach their grants.
Read also: SASSA's August Payment Dates Revealed—Here's What You Must Know Before Queueing
So Where Did the Extra Money Come From?
SASSA’s payment system is often updated silently—without SMS notifications, without public alerts, and with minimal transparency.
What Zanele discovered:
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She was eligible for a Care Dependency Grant for her youngest son, diagnosed with chronic epilepsy—but no one had told her.
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She never applied because she didn’t know the criteria had changed in 2024.
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She also hadn’t updated her banking info, which was still linked to her old inactive Capitec account—where interest fees were silently being deducted.
Once she applied for the right grant and updated her details, the back pay kicked in—an additional R1,030 was deposited into her account within two months.
How You Could Be Missing Out Too
You might be thinking, "That’s just her. Doesn’t apply to me." But according to a SASSA case officer in Gauteng, nearly 1 in 10 grant recipients in South Africa are getting less than they qualify for, because:
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They never update their income status
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They aren’t aware of special top-up grants
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They haven’t reapplied under the new 2024 conditions
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Their grant was approved years ago under old frameworks
Here’s what to check right now:
✅ Care Dependency Grants – for children with long-term disabilities or medical issues
✅ Child Support Top-Up Grant – if you're caring for orphaned children without formal adoption
✅ Foster Child Grant Adjustments – recently updated in late 2024
✅ R350 SRD Grant Eligibility Changes – if your job status changed recently
✅ Bank account charges eating into your grant
Zanele’s Tips to Beat the System—Legally
If you want to get every cent you’re owed, here’s what Zanele says:
“Go to the SASSA office—even if it’s far. Ask them to do a full reassessment of your status. Bring your child’s medical documents. Bring your bank statements. Don’t wait for them to tell you.”
She also warns that some pay point officers won’t tell you unless you ask directly.
“Use the word ‘reassessment’. That’s the key.”
Read also: Why More South Africans Are Turning to Soup Kitchens Despite Receiving Grants
A Wake-Up Call for Millions
Zanele’s R1,000 discovery isn’t just about money. It’s about breaking free from a system that often counts on people not knowing their rights.
SASSA doesn’t hide information maliciously—but many of its systems are outdated, understaffed, or not properly explained to rural beneficiaries.
That’s why stories like this matter. Because one extra R100, R200—or R1,000—can mean bread for the week, or transport for school.
Have Your Say Below:
📌 Do you believe SASSA should do more to inform people about top-up grants?
[ ] Yes, they’re not doing enough
[ ] No, people must find out themselves
[ ] I’ve missed out on money too
Final Thought: Check. Ask. Reassess.
Zanele’s story isn’t rare. It’s just rarely shared.
There are thousands of others across the country missing out on money they qualify for, just because no one ever told them to ask the right question.
If you receive any kind of SASSA grant—go back, check, and challenge what you’re told.
And don’t be afraid to speak up when something feels wrong. You might just discover an extra R1,000 too.
~BILLY JAYDEN LOUIS
Sources:
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