By Levy Masiteng
Social grant beneficiaries who are still using SASSA Gold Cards have been urged to switch to Postbank Black Cards before 31 August to ensure uninterrupted access to their grant payments.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Postbank said that the migration period is rapidly coming to an end and that SASSA Gold Cards are being phased out and will no longer function.
“Beneficiaries who fail to replace their cards before the deadline risk disruptions to their monthly grant payments,” the statement reads.
Postbank Black Cards can be collected free of charge at selected Shoprite, Checkers, Usave, Pick n Pay, Boxer and Spar stores nationwide.
According to the bank, the card replacement sites operate from 09:00 to 17:00, Monday to Friday, and beneficiaries can dial *120*355# on their mobile phones to locate their nearest collection point.
To replace a card, beneficiaries only need to present a valid South African identity document or a temporary ID.
Postbank also advised beneficiaries not to visit SASSA offices for enquiries relating to SASSA Gold Cards or Postbank Black Cards. Instead, they should visit a nearby Postbank service point or contact the Postbank call centre for payment-related assistance.
The bank appealed to beneficiaries not to wait until the August payment dates or the final days of the migration programme.
“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,” Postbank Chief Commercial Officer Thamsanqa Cele said.
He encouraged beneficiaries to migrate as soon as possible, saying early replacement is the best way to safeguard uninterrupted access to social grant payments.
“The success of the initiative also depends on beneficiaries taking advantage of the remaining time to replace their cards,” the bank said.
Customer service staff at replacement sites and in its contact centre are equipped to assist beneficiaries with a range of issues, including unpaid grants, PIN-related enquiries, replacement of lost or stolen cards, and transactions that have been declined.
“Beneficiaries who postpone their visit until then may experience substantial delays due to the expected increase in demand,” Cele said.
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