Zanele Mbasa from the Pietermaritzburg Pensioners Forum was speaking outside the KZN legislature yesterday where a group of pensioners were protesting for a “13th cheque” and a stipend increase of R2500.
The pensioners travelled twice to Parliament to address their concerns.
They recently tried to hand over a petition with 30000 names calling for the R2500 increase and a 13th cheque.
In his maiden Budget speech yesterday, Mboweni said in the fight against poverty and inequality, the government had allocated R567billion for social grant payments. This year the grants would increase by R80 for old age, disability, war veterans and care dependency beneficiaries.