By Johnathan Paoli
As Thursday’s deadline for the replacement of SASSA gold cards with Postbank black cards approaches, both the SA Social Security Agency (SASSA) and Postbank have intensified efforts to address ongoing challenges.
With only three days remaining, concerns over long queues, backlogs and logistical constraints persist, but significant progress has been made in ensuring a smooth transition.
The migration process, affecting more than 2.9 million social grant beneficiaries, has encountered several hurdles.
Long queues at Postbank card replacement sites have been a major issue, both in urban centres where demand is high, and in rural areas where there are accessibility challenges.
Reports indicate that many beneficiaries delayed replacing their cards, leading to a surge in applicants after SASSA and Postbank issued their final notice on 7 February.
Postbank CEO Nikki Mbengashe acknowledged that the initial months of the rollout were slow, as many beneficiaries did not feel a sense of urgency.
However, after February’s public notices, the number of card replacements tripled, overwhelming available resources.
“We have been issuing over 30,000 cards per day, exceeding our initial target of 21,600,” Mbengashe stated.
The backlog remains significant, with nearly 1.5 million beneficiaries yet to swap their cards.
Postbank has responded by increasing capacity, hiring additional staff and expanding card replacement sites across major retail chains such as Shoprite, Checkers, Pick n Pay, Boxer and Spar.
Acting SASSA CEO Themba Matlou said capacity had been increased nationwide and operating hours at key sites have been extended to accommodate more beneficiaries daily.
Special initiatives targeting rural areas and communities without easy access to Postbank sites have been implemented, with mobile teams having been dispatched to community centres and Thusong Service Centres to facilitate card swaps.
SASSA has initiated home visits for bedridden and disabled beneficiaries who are unable to travel to designated card replacement locations, while Mbengashe said that beneficiaries could also nominate a trusted individual to collect their new cards on their behalf.
While Thursday’s deadline marks the deactivation of the gold cards, beneficiaries can still replace their cards beyond this date.
The main concern is that those who fail to obtain their black cards in time will not be able to access funds using the old gold cards after the deadline.
The new Postbank black cards are equipped with enhanced security features to protect beneficiaries from fraud.
Concerns over fraudulent activities have been a focal point, with five SASSA employees recently arrested in connection with card-related fraud.
Matlou revealed that a review of SASSA’s Johannesburg offices uncovered “contaminated files”, leading to the suspension of implicated officials.
Nine individuals now stand accused of defrauding the agency.
For those yet to swap their cards, Postbank and SASSA encourage immediate action to avoid any payment disruptions.
While card replacements will continue after 20 March, beneficiaries are urged to act before the next grant payment cycle from 3 to 5 April.
Postbank is expected to continue swapping cards until the end of June this year.
For beneficiaries without black cards by April, Postbank has arranged for social grants to be accessible at 543 Post Office branches nationwide, but the CEO warned that it was only an interim measure.
“We want to assure all beneficiaries that social grant payments will continue. No one will be left without their money,” Matlou said.
With over 1.1 million cards already swapped and additional resources deployed, both SASSA and Postbank remain confident in their ability to complete the transition successfully.
However, beneficiaries are urged to act swiftly to avoid unnecessary delays and ensure uninterrupted access to their social grants.
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