Sassa gold card migration: You’ll still be able to get your grant after the deadline

Postbank CEO Nikki Mbengashe on Monday addressed confusion surrounding the 20 March deadline for the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) grant gold card migration to the black Postbank card.

During a press briefing in Pretoria, Mbengashe said beneficiaries who miss the deadline won’t lose access to their grants.

She said those without the new Postbank black card can still collect their payments through the South African Post Office (Sapo), which has more than 500 branches nationwide.

These beneficiaries will need to present identification documents to receive their grants over the counter.

Mbengashe reassured recipients that their account numbers would remain unchanged, stating: “No one will be able to access your money except you.”

Sassa grant migration: 20 March deadline clarified

Mbengashe acknowledged confusion surrounding the March 20 deadline, clarifying that Sassa gold cards would cease functioning after this date.

She urged beneficiaries to stop using these cards beyond the deadline.

Despite this cutoff, Postbank will continue issuing new black cards beyond 20 March.

“Even at the end of March into April we will continue to issue cards [and] we will continue to increase the number of [Postbank/Sassa] sites nationally. Currently we are sitting at over 329 sites nationally,” Mbengashe explained.

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Sassa grant gold card migration hits almost half of its target

Postbank has transitioned more than 1.1 million Sassa beneficiaries from gold cards to the new Postbank black cards, according to Mbengashe.

There are 2.6 million customers that need the card swap.

“More than half of this one million has been achieved in the last one-and-a-half months. In February alone we achieved 40% of this one million,” Mbengashe stated.

The CEO dismissed concerns about the organisation’s capability to complete the transition.

“The fact that we have done over 450 000 beneficiaries in one month is testament that the system is working and that whatever we put in place is working,” she emphasised.

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Assistance for mobility-restricted Sassa grant beneficiaries

For bed-ridden beneficiaries unable to visit transition sites, Postbank and Sassa have implemented home visit services.

“All you have to do is dial the Sassa call centre or the Postbank call centre or sites to register for people to come and visit you. When you go and register, we are pleading with people to provide, if possible, a medical certificate, social worker certificate or a clinic letter that states that indeed you are bed ridden,” Mbengashe said.

These verification documents help prevent misuse of the home visit service, according to the CEO.

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Sassa grant distribution overview

Sassa’s acting CEO Themba Matlou reported that the agency distributes approximately 19 million social grants, with 15% of recipients receiving payments through Postbank.

Matlou emphasised that beneficiaries can choose their preferred payment method, noting that around 420 000 recipients have opted to use other commercial banks.

Mbengashe clarified that while Postbank processes social grants for roughly 12 million beneficiaries, only 2.6 million actually bank with Postbank and require the card transition.

The card replacement programme was initiated primarily due to expiration dates on the existing gold cards.

Mbengashe explained that chip technology needs regular upgrades to maintain security features and ensure compatibility with ATM networks.

Mbengashe stated that teams were often assigned to areas were help was needed.

She said these teams would be taken from less busier sites and there wasn’t  a particular number for them as they were assigned on demand.

The CEO acknowledged that some post offices may not be able to accommodate large volumes of beneficiaries.

She however committed to providing a list of post offices where beneficiaries can get their payments.

ALSO READ: The gold card glitch: Can Sassa grant recipients bank on payment in May?

Migration costs

Mbengashe revealed that the migration initiative cost just more than R200 million, which she described as “under budget in terms of what it was planned for and approved by the board”.

To reduce congestion at post offices, Mbengashe encouraged beneficiaries who have already received their new black cards to use alternative withdrawal options.

“You can go to any retailer to get your funds, or you can use any ATM. The post office is there for people who do not have their black cards as yet. It is also for people who have been using it before [core customers] as well as asylum seekers.”

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