Pretoria: The deadline for South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) grant beneficiaries to swap their SASSA gold cards for the new Postbank cards has been extended to 30 April 2025. Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni announced this extension during a media briefing following a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
According to South African Government News Agency, the extension aims to allow SASSA and the Department of Social Development to complete the migration of all outstanding beneficiaries. At the Pretoria briefing, Minister Ntshavheni emphasized that Cabinet received an update on the status of the migration process to the Postbank black cards, which are designed to provide enhanced security for beneficiaries.
Minister Ntshavheni highlighted that the Postbank has successfully met eight of the nine requirements set by the South African Reserve Bank for paying social grants. The remaining task is the physical replacement of the cards, which requires additional time for completion.
Initially, the government had set the transition deadline to 28 February, which was later extended to 20 March 2025. The new extension to 30 April 2025 provides beneficiaries ample time to make the transition without disrupting their access to social grants.
The new Postbank black cards are available at major retailers like Checkers, Shoprite, Pick n Pay, Usave, and Boxer. Beneficiaries need to present a valid South African ID or a temporary ID to receive their new card. Postbank has also facilitated an easy method for beneficiaries to locate the nearest location in every province for card collection using their cellphones.
The Postbank black cards offer several benefits, including improved security features, one free card replacement per year, three free in-store withdrawals per month, and one free monthly statement over the counter.