SASSA beneficiaries still using the old Gold Cards have until 31 August to replace them with the new Postbank Black Cards or risk being unable to access their social grant payments from September.
The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) is urging beneficiaries to visit designated card replacement sites as soon as possible to avoid disruptions, warning that demand is expected to increase sharply as the deadline approaches.
The new Postbank Black Cards are being introduced to improve the security and reliability of grant payment services.
Postbank Chief Commercial Officer Thami Cele said beneficiaries should not wait until the final weeks of August to replace their cards.
“We are already noticing a steady increase in queues at several of our card replacement sites and, based on current trends, we anticipate that queues will become considerably longer in August, which is the final month before the deadline. Beneficiaries who postpone their visit until then may experience substantial delays due to the expected increase in demand,” Cele said.
He said beneficiaries can collect their Postbank Black Cards at selected Shoprite, Checkers, Usave, Pick n Pay, Boxer and Spar stores nationwide.
“Card replacement sites operate from Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm. Beneficiaries can dial *120*355# on their mobile phones to locate the nearest replacement site. Replacing a card is free of charge, and beneficiaries only need to present a valid South African ID or temporary ID,” he said.
Cele also urged beneficiaries not to visit SASSA offices for card-related payment enquiries, saying these can be handled directly by Postbank.
“Beneficiaries using either a SASSA Gold Card or a Postbank Black Card should visit a nearby Postbank site or contact our call centre for assistance. Our staff can help with payment enquiries, PIN resets, lost or stolen cards, card replacements and declined transactions. For assistance, beneficiaries can contact Postbank on 0800 53 54 55,” he said.
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