South Africans Beware, Sassa Not Giving an 'Extra R500' to Chronically Ill People Over 70

17 September 2026
Africa Check (Johannesburg)
By Taryn Khourie

South Africans beware, Sassa not giving an 'extra R500' to chronically ill people over 70

IN SHORT: Old claims that the South African Social Security Agency is adding R500 (about US$30) to grants for chronically ill people aged over 70 are still false. Watch out for zombie claims doing the rounds online.

According to a message circulating on Facebook in South Africa, people over 70 years old with chronic illnesses can apply for an "extra R500 per month added to their grant".

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The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) is a national government entity that manages and distributes social grants to vulnerable people.

The message reads:

Residents if you have family members over 70 and they are chronic patients please assist them with the application for the extra R500 per month added to their grant. Get a form from the SASSA office take it to the Dr get him to fill it out and return the form to the SASSA office. If the patient is treated at the local clinic or hospital then the form must be filled out there. NB....the patient has to be on chronic medication in order to qualify for this.

The same claim has been posted in Facebook groups with hundreds of thousands of members.

If this claim sounds familiar, it's because Africa Check debunked it in 2024.

But it's doing the rounds again online, and it's still false.

Another 'fake news alert' from Sassa

Sassa's older person's grant is a benefit paid to people aged 60 and over. In 2026, while the claim was circulating, the grant was R 2,400 per month for those aged 60 to 74 and R2,420 for those older than 75.

But there is no evidence that Sassa is offering an extra grant for people with chronic conditions, and the government entity has once again debunked the claim as "fake news".

📢FAKE NEWS ALERTPlease note that this message is fake and was not issued by SASSA pic.twitter.com/eV07sWjxVN-- SASSA (@OfficialSASSA) September 11, 2026

Debunking zombie claims

This is an example of a zombie claim - those that just won't die - despite having been debunked before. So here's how you can fact-check such claims:

  • Look for the paper trail: Zombie claims tend to leave a paper trail, as fact-checking organisations often debunk them. A quick Google search of the claim should take you straight to the facts.
  • Credibility of the source: Be wary of information shared only on social media; if a major news outlet or the government entity hasn't announced it, that's a major red flag.
  • Stay informed: Staying ahead of misinformation techniques helps you avoid old hoaxes. Take time to check and verify facts before sharing. You can also stay informed by signing up for our fact-packed newsletter or WhatsApp channel.

Read the original story, with links and other resources.
Africa Check is a non-partisan organisation which promotes accuracy in public debate and in the media. X @AfricaCheck and www.africacheck.org

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