- New payment system aims to make social grants safer, faster and more efficient
BY EPN REPORTER
MBABANE – Elderly EmaSwati who receive their social grants through commercial banks will, beginning this month, have to wait five additional days for their payments as Government introduces a new social grant disbursement system aimed at improving the efficiency, security and reliability of payments.
The Deputy Prime Minister’s Office announced on Thursday that elderly grants paid through commercial banks will now be disbursed on the 25th of every month, instead of the 20th as has been the practice.
The new arrangement takes effect from August 2026 and will continue in subsequent months.
While the five-day shift is important for elderly beneficiaries and families who plan household expenses around grant payment dates, Government says the adjustment forms part of a broader technological transition designed to modernise the country’s social grant payment system.
“The elderly grants will now be disbursed on the 25th of every month instead of the 20th of every month as has been the case in the past,” the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office announced.
The change specifically affects elderly people whose grants are deposited through commercial banks.
Importantly, there will be no change to the payment arrangements for elderly people and persons with disabilities who receive their social grants through the Mobile Money platform, commonly known as MoMo.
This means beneficiaries using the mobile money system will continue receiving their grants under the existing payment arrangement.
Government explained that the adjustment was necessitated by the introduction of a newly developed Social Grant Disbursement System, which is expected to strengthen the administration and delivery of social assistance across the country.
The system is being introduced through collaboration between the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office, the Royal Science and Technology Park (RSTP) and other key stakeholders.
According to the announcement, the initiative is intended to establish a more efficient, secure and seamless social grant delivery system, improving the process through which some of the country’s most vulnerable citizens access Government support.
The move is significant because social grants remain an important financial lifeline for thousands of elderly EmaSwati, many of whom use the money to purchase food, medication and other household necessities.
For families supporting elderly relatives, knowing the exact payment date is equally important for budgeting and planning.
The announcement therefore provides clarity ahead of the August payment cycle and gives beneficiaries receiving their money through banks time to adjust their financial plans from the previous 20th payment date to the new 25th monthly payment date.
Government expressed hope that the transition to the new system would be smooth and would cause minimal inconvenience to beneficiaries.
“The Office hopes that there will be minimal interruptions during this migration to the new system,” reads part of the public announcement.
The development represents another step towards using technology to strengthen the administration of Government services, particularly programmes that directly affect vulnerable members of society.
Once fully integrated, the improved grant disbursement system is expected to provide Government with a stronger platform for managing payments while giving beneficiaries greater confidence in the security and consistency of their social assistance.
For elderly beneficiaries receiving grants through commercial banks, however, the immediate message is simple: from August onwards, grant day moves from the 20th to the 25th of every month.
The Deputy Prime Minister’s Office issued the public announcement on 13 August 2026.
