Malema Calls for R4,500 Monthly Pensions as EFF Pushes for Higher Payments

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has called on the government to raise social grants, saying pensioners should receive at least R4,500 a month. He also asked authorities to give more financial support to young women and schoolchildren so that vulnerable families can cope with the rising cost of living.

According to The Citizen, Malema made the proposals at an EFF rally in KwaZulu-Natal. South Africa is preparing for the local government elections on November 4, 2026, and social assistance, unemployment and living costs remain central issues in the political debate.

Malema argued that the money for higher grants could be found by cutting unnecessary spending and dealing with corruption. In his view, public resources should go first to struggling citizens and not to wasteful expenditure. He said pensioners deserve more support because many of them use their grants to buy food, pay household bills and care for children and other relatives who depend on them.

He also spoke about the financial pressure facing young women. Malema said government assistance should help them avoid depending on older men for money. “Government must be your sugar daddy, no man must be your sugar daddy,” he said, according to The Citizen.

For schoolchildren, he called for free school uniforms and meals so that children from poor households can attend school without adding to their families’ financial burden. He also proposed reducing the number of deputy ministers and using the savings to help pensioners and poor communities.

For now, these remain political demands. No official increase in grants has been announced, and questions remain about how the plan would be funded, who would qualify and how it would be carried out. Social grants are run at national level, so any change would need action from the national government and could not be decided by local municipalities.

https://x.com/NewsdayZA/status/2112818436418019337

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