SASSA CARD TRANSITION DEADLINE EXTENDED TO 20 MARCH 2025

• The deadline for beneficiaries to swap their gold South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) cards for the new black Postbank card has been extended to 20 March 2025.
• The Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Solly Malatsi, and the Minister of Social Development, Nokuzola Tolashe, noted that they had listened to the concerns of beneficiaries in taking this decision.
• Beneficiaries are encouraged to make sure they change to the new black Postbank card as soon as they can, and well ahead of the new deadline.

The deadline for beneficiaries to swap their gold South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) cards for the new black Postbank cards has been extended from 28 February to 20 March 2025.

This was confirmed by the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Solly Malatsi, and the Minister of Social Development, Nokuzola Tolashe, on 14 February 2025.

“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,” the ministers said in a joint statement.

Beneficiaries are encouraged to make sure that they change to the new black Postbank card as soon as they can, and well ahead of the 20 March 2025 deadline.

Grant payments will continue as usual, even after the 20 March deadline.

If beneficiaries have not 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.

“To make sure that we are able to assist beneficiaries to swap their cards as efficiently as possible, our 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,” the statement noted.

Mobile offices will also be dispatched to focus on rural areas and to ensure that as many people are assisted as possible.

The process will be closely monitored and both ministers will receive daily updates as to how the process is going so that they are able to respond quickly to any further issues that may arise.

Furthermore, the 20 March deadline marks the date when the SASSA gold cards will stop working. After 20 March, beneficiaries will still be able to apply for and receive their Postbank black cards.

The departments are also working with community leaders and local authorities to share clear information and offer assistance where needed.

“Making sure that beneficiaries are able to swap their old gold SASSA cards as easily as possible is our priority and we will update the public regularly,” the statement said.