Postbank has announced a critical extension for South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) grant beneficiaries still using their SASSA gold cards, allowing them until May 31, 2025, to transition to the new Postbank black cards.

This decision aims to facilitate a smooth changeover and it is the last opportunity for beneficiaries to make the switch, with no further extensions expected.

During a briefing in Pretoria on Friday, Postbank Chief Executive Officer Nikki Mbengashe made it clear that once the two-month grace period concludes, beneficiaries without black cards will face immediate challenges accessing their social grants.

“After these two months, there will be no more alternatives. We will not be providing alternatives for people to access their grants,” she said.

Postbank recently stated that approximately 1.3 million of a total of 2.6 million social grant beneficiaries managed to make the switch.

Mbengashe stated that the decision was informed by the regulators' determinations.

“Grant beneficiaries that are yet to switch to black cards will continue to use SASSA gold cards to access their social grant payments for a further period of two months, which includes April and May 2025.”

Mbengashe said during this extension period, gold cards will continue to work, as they do now, across all payment systems such as ATMs, point of sale machines for cash withdrawal at their partner retail stores, and swiping for purchases.

She noted that this extension gives beneficiaries added time to replace their cards and made a plea for beneficiaries not to wait until the last minute to avoid congestion and queues.

However, Mbengashe emphasised that following the extension, beneficiaries with gold cards are advised not to use the over-the-counter cash payments option inside Post Office branches previously announced by Postbank and SASSA over the next two months.

“As the gold cards are now working, beneficiaries that have gold cards must not go to Post Office branches to try to access any payments as they will not be serviced,” she said.

Post Office branch cash payment services will only be available for Mzansi/Flexi card customers, beneficiaries with lost or stolen card incidents, and asylum seekers.

Mbengashe noted that Postbank has 355 card replacement sites across the country that are working well without any issues, and queues are being managed.

She said the fact that they are processing more than 30 000 cards a day indicates that the systems are working.

“If people go towards the end of May, the queues are going to be long because the probability is that everyone might wait until the last days.”

She added that SASSA gold cards are replaced mainly inside selected branches of major retailers, including Shoprite, Checkers, Usave, Pick n Pay, Boxer, and Spar. “Beneficiaries can dial *120*355# on their mobile phones to find a nearby card replacement location.”

She said SASSA gold cards will be decommissioned after this two-month extended period, and any grant beneficiary that does not have a black card by the end of this period in May will face challenges.

“The grant will still be paid into your bank account because it is your bank account, but you can only access those funds by using your new Postbank black card.”

The process to replace your card remains simple, as the beneficiaries only must bring their RSA ID document, a temporary ID, or driver’s licence, she said.

“Postbank also wants to assure gold card beneficiaries that it will continue issuing black cards until everyone that needs a card is reached, so beneficiaries should not switch their grant payments to other banks out of panic and fear that they will not get the opportunity to obtain their black cards. Beneficiaries are also assured that their grant payments will continue without any interruptions,” said Mbengashe.

karen.singh@inl.co.za