Postbank reassures SASSA it will have enough money to pay grant beneficiaries in April
Concerns have been raised about the Postbank's capacity to accommodate these beneficiaries after the bank experienced grant payment disruptions in the past due to system failures.
A South African Social Security Agency office in Pretoria. Picture: Kayleen Morgan/Eyewitness News
CAPE TOWN - South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) officials have confirmed they've been reassured by the Postbank that it will have enough money to pay social grant beneficiaries in April.
As the 20 March deadline to migrate from SASSA gold cards to Postbank black cards looms, Postbank said it had helped more than one million social grant beneficiaries to do the swap.
Concerns have been raised about the Postbank's capacity to accommodate these beneficiaries after the bank experienced grant payment disruptions in the past due to system failures.
SASSA Western Cape acting regional manager, Sibusiso Ntlangothi, briefed the provincial standing committee on social development on Tuesday on the progress made in the migration process.
He said that beneficiaries who had not done the switch by Thursday would still be able to access their grants at selected post offices with their ID.
"They've confirmed, and we have weekly exco meetings where even the CEO confirmed that they have made provisions that there will be enough cash for beneficiaries to receive when they come to the post office."
SASSA Western Cape's acting general manager for grant administration, Gryphon Pheiffer, is encouraging beneficiaries to continue with the card swap even after the deadline.
"So if between March 20 and before the next pay date people replace their gold cards, they will still be able to get paid during April because Postbank said they won't stop after the 20th with the issuing of black cards."