A million SASSA beneficiaries swap to new card

The South African Post Office (Sapo) has swapped over one million social grants beneficiaries to the new South African Social Security (SASSA) card which is being issued by Postbank.

“The first million beneficiaries do not include those beneficiaries that have willingly opted to take up Postbank Mzansi accounts as their preferred payment method,” Sapo COO Lindiwe Kwele.

The Post Office has been gazetted as the preferred payment channel for all social grants in South Africa.

The old white SASSA card will be phased out by 30 September and should be exchanged for the new gold SASSA card.

Card swapping can be done at SASSA offices nationally on any working day as well as at all the SASSA pay-points during a payment cycle.

“The post office and SASSA have deployed teams throughout the country where dedicated temporary card swap sites are established using existing infrastructure such as municipality halls to expedite the migration to the new card.

“This will ensure that as many people as possible are put onto the new SASSA cards before the end of August. We call on social grants beneficiaries to swap their cards and to not leave it to the last minute,” Kwele said.

The post office will soon also become a card swap channel nationally. An announcement will be made in this regard.

Sapo said the new SASSA card is gold in colour and has the country’s coat of arms on the right hand side as well as the letters ‘SASSA’ inscribed on the left.

“We have seen people being unwittingly persuaded to accept other cards only to realise later that they will be charged all sorts of exorbitant fees.

“The new gold SASSA card guarantees that beneficiaries will not be debited with a monthly service fee of R10, or more, or illegal deductions for loans, airtime or electricity,” Kwele said.

The new SASSA card operates fully within the national payment system and it has the following benefits for social grants beneficiaries:

• Three cash withdrawals from any participating merchant, such as Shoprite, Boxer, etc;
• One free over the counter cash withdrawal at the Post Office;
• Unlimited free swipes or purchase payments at all merchants;
• 1 free ATM balance enquiry per month.
• The only deduction permitted is for funeral policies, up to no more than 10% of the grant value.

- SAnews.gov.za