Social security benefits increase |19 January 2007

These increases, which take effect this month, include the R50 increase in the old age retirement benefit and increases of R25 and R50 in other benefits such as Sickness, Maternity, Injury, Survivor, Disablement, Invalidity, Orphan and Abandoned child, Dependent Benefit for both child and adult.

As of Thursday January 17, pensioners have started enjoying their new R1,750 social security retirement pension, as a result of the R50 increase.

Speaking to the press, Roch Henriette, Benefits Manager in the Social Security office, said that the other benefits that have increased by R50 are those for Sickness, Maternity, Injury, Survivor and Disablement which are now R1,400. The Invalidity benefit has gone up from R1,600 to R1,650.

Those that have increased by R25 are the benefits for Orphan and Abandoned child, now at R825, and Dependent Benefits which are now R650 (for child) and R700 (for adult).

Mr Henriette however stressed that people are considered for some of these benefits, such as Sickness and Dependent, only after their situations have been assessed by the Social Security office.

The Funeral Benefit however remains at R1,500.

Both the Social Security Retirement Age Regulations and Social Security Benefits Regulations of the Social Security Act have been amended prior to the implementation of the changes and new rates. 

According to Mr Henriette, the Social Security Fund last year disbursed a total of R210 million to assist over 9,900 people, among whom were 7,617 recipients of retirement benefits and over 2,550 beneficiaries of other forms of assistance.