Current Gold SASSA Cards To Continue Working Until 31 May

• Postbank confirmed that the gold South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) grant cards will remain active after the end of May
• This was after the agency began rolling out black cards to replace the gold cards that had been in circulation
• The Postbank CEO said that grant beneficiaries must use the next two months to apply for the new black card

Tebogo Mokwena, a dedicated Briefly News current affairs journalist, contributed coverage of international and local social issues like health, corruption, education, unemployment, labour, service delivery protests and immigration in South Africa during his seven years at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News.

JOHANNESBURG — The CEO of Postbank, Nikki Mbengashe, said South African Social Service Agency (SASSA) grant beneficiaries have until the end of May to apply for the new SASSA black card.

SASSA black card registrations extended

According to SABC News, Mbengashe said during a press briefing that grant beneficiaries must use the next month to apply for the new black cards to replace the gold card. She said beneficiaries who have not had the time to replace must note that the card usage remains the same. Mbengashe said the cards can also be used at any ATM or retailer.

Mbengashe remarked that those who have their gold SASSA cards must not use the Post Office to access their grant, as the gold cards are still valid. She said those who have lost their cards can still do over-the-counter withdrawals at the post office. Mbengashe cautioned the public against following instructions about the SASSA black cards that are not from Postbank.

Why Postbank is replacing SASSA cards

In an interview with Moneyweb in February, Mbengashe said the change of cards is a normal process and that the gold cards have reached their expiry dates and the chips need to be upgraded. The cards have also been upgraded for a better prevention of fraud.

The initial deadline was 20 March, after the process of transitioning to the black cards began in September 2024, and SASSA extended it. The transition cost more than R200 million, according to GroundUp, and it had been plagued with problems like beneficiaries enduring lengthy queues and travelling long distances to apply for the cards and being met with system failures.

Stories about SASSA

The Lenasia Magistrates Court postponed the bail hearing of 11 suspects who were arrested for allegedly defrauding the South African Social Services Agency of R265 million over a period of 12 years.

The suspects are facing 1,300 charges of fraud and theft after they were accused of siphoning money meant for SASSA beneficiaries. They have also been accused of creating fake identities to apply for and benefit from SASSA. Among those who are arrested are eight SASSA employees and an Ethiopian foreign national, who has been accused of fraud in the past.

Parliamentary Committee welcomes SASSA arrests

In a related article, Briefly News reported that the Portfolio Committee of Social Development welcomed the arrest of the SASSA employees and suspects accused of siphoning millions from the agency.

The committee's chairperson lauded the arrest. She said that the busts sent a strong message to those who are defrauding the government.

Source: Briefly News