Social assistant remains the single largest contributor to poverty alleviation in South Africa. There has been a sustained increase in the number of beneficiaries of the social assistant programme. This trend continued in the year under review, with beneficiaries increasing by 5, 5 per cent to more than 15 595 705. A total of 2 750 857 were recipients of Old Age Grant. The target for this programme, of providing 2 720 359 older persons with grants by the end of the financial year, was achieved, as 2 750 857 older persons received grants by the end of March 2012.