SASSA GIVES UPDATE ON REPLACEMENT CARD PROCESS

• As the deadline for social beneficiaries to swap their gold cards for new black Postbank cards looms, the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) has reassured grant recipients that assistance will continue, and everyone will be paid as per the norm.
• SASSA’s Acting CEO Themba Matlou, briefing the media, said that the process had not been easy, but the interests of more than 2.9 million beneficiaries had to be put at the fore.
• Joint initiatives between SASSA and the Postbank, intensifying its communication campaign, extending operational hours and increasing human resources, had brought positive results.

The deadline for South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) beneficiaries to swap their Postbank gold cards for new black cards is looming, with the extended date being 20 March 2025.

Addressing a media briefing on 17 March 2025, SASSA’s Acting CEO Themba Matlou said that the drive to phase out the gold card has not been an easy process.

At the beginning of the year, SASSA faced many challenges, but the working relationship between SASSA and Postbank improved significantly as the two entities focused on the common goal of having a smooth migration process.

The output has been to put the interests of more than 2.9 million beneficiaries who were on the SASSA gold card at the centre of the process, the acting CEO said.

“Through our joint communication initiatives on various communication platforms, more clients began to visit various Postbank sites. This intervention has brought positive results since the commencement of migration process.”

The card swap campaign did not happen overnight. The government had to comply with the processes and prescripts outlined by the South African Reserve Bank.

Interventions to expedite the process

The Postbank as the bank that drives the migration, had to be supported by SASSA on some initiatives and interventions to expedite the process.

“This required that SASSA put in place additional human resources, extending working hours to have officials work overtime as well as intensifying its communication drive,” Matlou said.

In addition, SASSA had to embark on a special community outreach programme across the country to broaden access.

“These outreaches targeted areas in the outskirts of our country where there were no Postbank sites,” Matlou said.

This initiative was aimed at assisting SASSA beneficiaries, particularly those in rural areas. “These outreaches were held even on weekends, where we reached more people in community halls, Thusong services centres, and in some shopping centres.”

Regulation 23(1) of the Social Assistance Act provides options for beneficiaries to choose the payment method of their choice, and to this end beneficiaries were assisted with being issued with new Postbank cards.

Some beneficiaries migrated to their own preferred bank accounts.

Reaching the most vulnerable

“This also necessitated SASSA to put in place extra capacity to capture all the submitted method of payment change forms.”

SASSA is central to administering and distributing grants to the most vulnerable people in society; the elderly, those bedridden, and people living with disabilities among others.

“Working with Postbank, we have come up with plans to ensure that we do home visits to effectively assist those who cannot reach various card replacement sites,” the acting CEO said.

“We will continue to intensify this process even beyond 20 March if (beneficiaries) have not migrated by then.”

SASSA’s outreach programmes will also continue beyond 20 March. “We want to ensure that we assist as many people as possible to ensure that they are not inconvenienced in the April pay run and beyond.”

The acting CEO assured beneficiaries throughout the country that SASSA, working with the Postbank, social assistance will continue, and everyone will be paid as per the norm.

SASSA also has urged beneficiaries to contact SASSA via the toll-free customer care number on 0800 601 011 or by email at GrantEnquiries@sassa.gov.za with any queries.