By Des Erasmus
Half of South Africa’s households receive social grants, according to the latest General Household Survey.
Released by Stats SA on Tuesday, the survey found that grants reached 39.5% of individuals and 50.6% of households in 2025, while 24.4% of households relied on grants as their main source of income.
The increase in grant coverage accelerated after the introduction of the special COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant in 2020, which was initially designed to temporarily cushion income losses during the pandemic.
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Salaries and wages remained the main income source for 54.3% of households, but the figures show how heavily South Africa’s tax-funded safety net is supporting households in an economy that has struggled to generate jobs and income.
The survey tracks basic service delivery, healthcare, education, agriculture, household composition, income, food access, water, sanitation,
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