Relief on the cards: Reprieve for millions as Sassa extends ‘chaotic’ gold card switch deadline

On Friday morning, the Department of Social Development announced that the deadline for social grant beneficiaries to swap their South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) gold card for the new Postbank black card has been extended to 20 March 2025.

It further stated that the amount of renewal sites would be increased, as well as additional manpower made available with mobile offices to assist grant beneficiaries in rural areas.

Just a week ago, Postbank and Sassa dropped the bombshell that all gold cards need to be replaced by the new Postbank Black Card before 28 February.

The month-end deadline was set against the backdrop of concerns around the card transition process, prompting multiple extensions of the gold cards.

Queues and chaos: Sassa gold card switch to Postbank black card

With the 28 February deadline looming, grant beneficiaries flocked to the Postbank renewal sites to make the switch, with many pensioners forced to endure painstakingly long queues.

Commenting on the challenges beneficiaries were confronted with to make the switch, Black Sash spokesperson Oliver Meth told The Citizen that those living in rural areas were not accommodated in the process.

“Communication and collection sites that have been selected by Postbank do not necessarily reflect where Sassa card holders live, and even accessing information to your ‘closest’ site has been plagued by inaccurate information on the USSD platform and even on social media.

“Some sites do not exist, and the retailers share that they are not aware that Postbank card replacements were supposed to be happening at their stores,” Meth added.

Portfolio committee steps in

The extension of the deadline until 20 March, follows a meeting of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Social Development during which the department was raked over the coals for not having all the necessary systems in place.

The committee urged Sassa to extend the deadline, warning that failure to do so could disrupt payments for vulnerable beneficiaries, especially in rural areas.

“Many Sassa clients, especially the elderly residents or those living in abject poverty, prefer using their Sassa cards because they don’t have bank accounts,” MEC for Social Development in the Western Cape, Jaco Londt, said.

“These individuals cannot be ignored. Sassa, Postbank, and the National Department of Social Development must find an urgent solution to ensure grant beneficiaries living in rural areas are also accommodated in the card transitioning process.”

‘We have listened’: Sassa gold card switch deadline extended

In Friday’s joint statement by the respective ministers of Communications and Digital Technologies, Solly Malatsi, and Social Development, Nokuzola Tolashe.

“We have listened to the deep concerns and frustrations from our social grant beneficiaries and we trust that this extension will provide much needed time for grant recipients.”

“We would like to emphasise that grant payments will continue as per usual, even after the 20th of March deadline. If beneficiaries haven’t exchanged their cards by then, their grants will still be paid, but they will need to visit their nearest Post Office branch to access their funds,” the statement read.

Mobile offices in rural areas, more hands on deck

The ministers gave the assurance that “departments and entities are working together to add more human capacity and are working with retailers to increase the number of sites across the country”.

Addressing the pressing issue of beneficiaries in rural areas, mobile offices will be dispatched to focus on such areas.

Sassa gold cards: What happens after 20 March?

Meanwhile, beneficiaries were urged to note that the 20 March deadline marks the date when the Sassa gold cards will stop working, not the last day to apply for the new card.

Sassa grant recipients will still be able to apply for and receive their Postbank black cards after 20 March.

How to get your Postbank Black Card

1. Dial *120*218*3# from your cellphone
2. Select option 1
3. Choose your province

A list of locations issuing new cards will be provided.

The retail route

“Grant beneficiaries can replace their Sassa gold cards with the Postbank black cards where they normally collect their grant payments such as retailers, including Shoprite, Checkers, Usave, Boxer Stores nationwide and Gauteng Pick n Pay stores,” Postbank CEO Nikki Mbengashe stated.

Requirements

• A valid ID or temporary ID.
• If collecting on behalf of someone, bring the Sassa proxy letter.
• Asylum seekers need to bring their official Sassa approval letter.

The card issuance process is free of charge, and swapping to the new card won’t affect beneficiaries’ grant payments.

Eligibility of foreign nationals 

Foreign nationals are not yet eligible for the new black cards.

However, they can still access their grant money at any Post Office using their current documents after the gold cards stop working. To ensure a smooth transaction, they must bring the existing documents. 

Where to go/ what if I can’t collect? 

Applications and collections for the new cards can be made at any of the selected Pick n Pay and Boxer stores and Shoprite/Checkers stores on presentation of your ID document. 

If for some reason one failed to turn up to collect their card, it did not mean they would forfeit their grant. They would receive it, but not via their gold card, which stops working on 20 March.

Instead, they would have to access their grant through alternative methods, including Post Office branches, until 30 June.

• For further information, contact Postbank toll free at 0800 53 54 55 or send an email to postbank.enquiries@postbank.co.za.

‘Short payments’ on Postbank black cards?

Postbank started replacing the Sassa gold cards with the new Postbank black card in September 2024, citing improved security from fraud due to its biometric verification features.

Some beneficiaries have however reported difficulties accessing their grants, sparking concerns over how the transition to the new cards would affect payments.

“We found beneficiaries were unclear about where their February grant payment was, and were now being pushed to the Postbank black card, without proper recourse addressing the February non-payment or explaining what would happen or should happen if non-payment continued,” Black Sash spokesperson Meth said. 

“We also noted beneficiaries who had swapped over to the Postbank black cards experiencing short payments on their grants, and they were unable to be assisted by the Postbank staff responsible for card replacements. Beneficiaries are now not aware of how to address the issue.”

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