SASSA opens window for payment method change
From Monday, 31 August to Sunday, 6 September beneficiaries can change from receiving their grants at the post office to receiving them through their personal bank accounts.
![](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/49/2020/08/2da063d1-4606-4cea-8d9d-8cc8ffc37fe2.jpg)
SASSA will once again open its system for approved applicants to change their preferred method of payment for the special Covid-19 SRD grant.
The window period is scheduled for Monday, 31 August to Sunday, 6 September, 24 hours a day.
During this period, beneficiaries can change from receiving their grants at the post office to receiving them through their personal bank accounts.
They may also change from one bank to another if they prefer to. Approved beneficiaries of the grant can change their payment method by SASSA’s website.
ALSO READ: #Covid-19: SASSA launches social relief distress grant
This development is an effort to address challenges some beneficiaries have experienced in trying to access their special relief grant from post offices.
It is important for beneficiaries to understand that they should not go to the post office before they have received the SMS notification that says funds are available.
The SMS notification is used to limit the numbers of people reporting to a post office on a particular day and also to ensure that sufficient cash is available.
“When choosing a bank account, ensure that the account is in your name (SASSA cannot pay money for one person into the account held by another) and that the bank account is not closed. The payment process is delayed if money is sent to a closed account, as SASSA has to wait for the funds to be returned before sending it to the post office for collection,” said SASSA CEO Totsie Memela. Memela said clients who update their details are advised to ensure that their information is captured correctly to avoid any further delays.
ALSO READ: SASSA anti-fraud strategy begins to bear fruit
The payment of the Covid-19 grant is quicker if paid into a bank account.
Applicants without bank accounts are thus encouraged to open a bank account.
Responses to frequently asked questions about this relief grant can be found on the WhatsApp platform on 082 046 8553.
Caxton Local Media Covid-19 reporting
Dear reader, As your local news provider, we have the duty of keeping you factually informed on Covid-19 developments. As you may have noticed, mis- and disinformation (also known as “fake news”) is circulating online. Caxton Local Media is determined to filter through the masses of information doing the rounds and to separate truth from untruth in order to keep you adequately informed. Local newsrooms follow a strict pre-publication fact-checking protocol. A national task team has been established to assist in bringing you credible news reports on Covid-19.
Readers with any comments or queries may contact National Group Editor Irma Green (irma@caxton.co.za) or Legal Adviser Helene Eloff (helene@caxton.co.za). At the time of going to press, the contents of this feature mirrored South Africa’s lockdown regulations.
Do you want to receive news alerts via Telegram? Send us a message (not an sms) with your name and surname to 060 532 5535. You can also join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. PLEASE NOTE: If you have signed up for our news alerts you need to save the Berea Mail Telegram number as a contact to your phone, otherwise you will not receive our alerts Here’s where you can download Telegram on Android or Apple