Some pensioners in NW town want old-age grant to increase to meet rising cost of living

COLIGNY - Some pensioners in the town of Coligny, North West, say they want the old-age grant to increase to meet the rising cost of living.

Currently, the Older Persons Grant is R2,180 for people older than 60.

The maize town of Coligny, like many others across South Africa, has declined economically, making the pension grant important to voters in the area.

Retired farmer Henny van Wyk said it’s now difficult to make ends meet.

“Here where I live, I want to fix the water. The water must come right and also the load shedding has to stop. We want the food prices to decrease and us pensioners need more money. We can’t live like this.”

Meanwhile, 79-year-old Bernard Shalala said he does not draw a pension but empathises with his age-mates.

“I don’t draw a pension because I am self-sufficient, but I also feel they could increase the pension fund."

The African National Congress (ANC) and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) are a few of the big parties that have promised to increase social welfare grants should they get into power.

However, those parties have historically struggled to break into the voter base of Coligny.