LIMPOPO – The MEC for Economic Development, Thabo Mokone has launched the first cashless ATM that will serve as additional payment points for Sassa social grants in the Polokwane municipal area. The launch of the provincial roll-out of the South African Post Office cashless ATM was held at Ga-Molepo near Boyne on Friday, 12 June.
The MEC was joined by Capricorn District Municipality Mayor John Mpe, the Acting HOD for Social Development Desmond Mahopo and the SAPO Board Chairperson, Colleen Makhubele.
Braved the winter chill for one progressive innitiative,the provincial roll-out of the South African Post Office cashless ATM at Ga-Molepo near Boyne. The system will help beneficiaries of SASSA grants to buy & withdraw money from local shops. Goodbye to long travels to town. ???????? pic.twitter.com/rPAKvGWyAd
— Thabo Andrew Mokone (@ThaboAndrewMok1) June 12, 2020
Mokopane says the cardless machines will enable Sassa beneficiaries to buy and withdraw their money from local shops. “They will no longer need to travel to shopping centres and malls to buy basic amenities. This will also decongest the existing social grant payment points, but as well as create measures that will ensure the sustainable cash injection of revenue into rural economies.”
The first ATM is located next to Sehlale Clinic.
How the cardless system works:
- Insert their Sassa card inside the ATM card slot and use their Sassa card pin to initiate a transaction (in the same manner as they initiate a transaction from any other bank ATM)
- Select an amount they request to be debited on their Sassa card.
- If the debit is successful, the cashless ATM will print out two slips (A merchant and customer) confirming the debit.
- The customer will hand over the merchant slip to the spaza shop, and in exchange, the merchant will give the customer cash or goods to the value of the withdrawal.
The ATM devices will be placed in establishments such as spaza shops and other applicable township and rural businesses throughout the province.
