Government has extended the deadline for grant recipients to switch from the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) gold card to the new Postbank black card to 20 March 2025.
The initial deadline for to swop the cards was 28 February 2025.
According to a joint statement released by Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Solly Malatsi and the Minister of Social Development Nokuzola Tolashe, the decision to extend the deadline follows complaints by beneficiaries, and challenges with both the Postbank and SASSA number.
“We have listened to the deep concerns and frustrations from our social grant beneficiaries, and we trust that this extension will provide much needed time for grant recipients.
We strongly encourage our beneficiaries to make sure that they change to the black Postbank card as soon as they can, and well ahead of the 20 March 2025 deadline.
We would like to emphasise that grant payments will continue as per usual, even after the 20th of March deadline,” read the joint statement.
In addition, the minister’s said beneficiaries who haven’t exchanged their cards by then, their grants will still be paid.
They however emphasised that the beneficiaries would need to visit their nearest Post Office branch to access their funds.
Following complaints by beneficiaries about the poor service to apply to swop the cards and the limited locations, government has promised to add more officials and are working with retailers to increase the number of sites across the country.
“Mobile offices will also be dispatched to focus on rural areas and to ensure that we assist as many people as possible.
We will monitor the process closely and will receive daily updates as to how the process is going so that we are able to respond quickly to any further issues that may arise,” explained the statement.
The ministers advised beneficiaries that after the 20th March deadline, beneficiaries will still be able to apply for and receive their Postbank Black Cards.
