The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa)) has reported that beneficiaries have encountered problems when trying to replace their gold cards. They released a media statement on Twitter apologising for these challenges.
Postbank is responsible for the issuing of the Sassa gold card and it allows recipients to make transactions using the card and their PIN code within the National Payment System (NPS) at banks' ATMs, SAPO branches, retailers and Cash Payment Points (CPP). However, according to law, all Visa and Mastercards will expire after five years, so they will need to be replaced.
There are currently 5.9 million Sassa beneficiaries making use of the gold cards, the majority of which will expire by June 2023. Sassa urges its clients to check the expiry dates of their cards and ensure that they replace them to avoid not being able to access their funds.
The Agency assures social grant recipients that all payments will be processed as normal and funds will be safely stored in client's bank accounts until they choose to withdraw them.
However, to avoid non-access of these funds, recipients have the option of replacing their gold card at the identified SAPO branches or at an alternative venue provided by Postbank, a participating retailer, or to make use of the cardless withdrawal option provided by Postbank. Recipients can also make use of the services of another bank.
Clients will need to request a change of payment method at their nearest office or an alternative venue provided by Sassa.
How to change your grant payment method
- Visit the Sassa website.
- Enter your South African ID number.
- You will receive an SMS containing a secure link. This SMS will be sent to the mobile number you provided when you submitted your application.
- Click on the link in the SMS and follow the instructions carefully.
Alternatively, social grant recipients can receive their payments through their personal bank accounts. If you choose this method, ensure that you bring the following documents when visiting your nearest Sassa branch:
- Proof of bank account received from the bank or;
- a three month bank statement that indicates the personal details of the client, including names and bank accounts
- Proof of identity
These documents should be submitted to the nearest Sassa office to mandate Sassa to pay the beneficiary's social grant into the chosen personal bank account.
There is no limit as to how many times beneficiaries can change their method of payment as it is their right to do so - beneficiaries are advised to request the change of method of payment once in a month.
Sassa officials are available to assist beneficiaries who may need help with changing their payment method.
The Agency is currently working on expanding its capacity to enable faster processing of the requests for change of payment method and will be extending its office operating hours to accommodate for any increase in clients.
Social grant beneficiaries are encouraged to check their personal details and payment methods regularly to ensure correctness and that grants can be paid properly.
