‘Do not pay to jump the queue,’ says Post Office

The application App now includes an option where beneficiaries can receive their grant from any Pick ’n Pay, Boxer, Shoprite, Checkers or USave Supermarket and beneficiaries are encouraged to include this option.

The link is https://srd.sassa.gov.za, and SASSA can be contacted at 0800 601 011.

The new round of applications has also put the spotlight on incidents where members of the public pay bribes to self-appointed queue marshals outside Post Offices to be taken to the front of the queue.

The SA Post Office advises beneficiaries not to consider paying such bribes. Paying or soliciting a bribe constitutes criminal activity. Anyone who is exposed to this practise should collect as much evidence as possible and report the incident to the SA Police.

Anyone with information is also welcome to contact the Post Office’s toll-free crime hotline on 0800 020 070. All reports are followed up.

Any individual who used his or her phone to apply only for their own grant, and chooses the Post Office as collection point, can indicate when they apply that they would like to withdraw their grant from any Pick ’n Pay, Boxer, Checkers, Shoprite or Usave Supermarket.

Beneficiaries who share a cell phone to apply for the grant, can only collect the grant from a Post Office branch.

Customers who receive the R350 Covid relief grant often visit the post office to check whether there is any money for them. This is not necessary: they can check online by clicking on https://srd.sassa.gov.za/sc19/status.

• Post Offices have two separate queues: One for customers who receive the Covid-19 grant and one for other transactions. This ensures the shortest possible waiting time for all customers.