The introduction of the new black cards aims to provide enhanced security features. However, the rollout has been heavily criticised for inefficiency and poor implementation, leading to significant challenges for beneficiaries.
Sassa stated, “We would like to emphasise that grant payments will continue as usual, even after the 20th of March deadline. If beneficiaries haven’t exchanged their cards by then, their grants will still be paid, but they will need to visit their nearest Post Office branch to access their funds.”
The agency distributes over 18 million permanent grant payments, including the Older Persons pension grant, Disability grant, War Veterans grant, Care Dependency grant, Foster Child grant, Child Support grant, Child Support grant Top-Up and Grant-in-aid.
Last year, Sassa announced that the Gold Card would be replaced by the new Postbank black card. Initially, the Gold Cards were to remain operational until all beneficiaries had received their new black cards. However, this stance changed earlier this year.
Beneficiaries were informed that all Sassa Gold Cards would expire at the end of February 2025. Following public concern, the validity of the Gold Cards was extended until the end of March.
The Portfolio Committee on Social Development expressed serious concerns about the rollout of the new cards, criticising Postbank for its inefficiency. The committee urged the Department of Social Development, the Department of Communication and Digital Technology, Sassa, and Postbank to ensure a dignified and efficient distribution process.
This follows complaints from beneficiaries about limited renewal sites, resulting in long queues and vulnerable individuals—particularly older persons and people with disabilities—being turned away without assistance.
The committee reported being overwhelmed with calls and emails from frustrated beneficiaries and their families about the lack of renewal sites. Many older persons and people with disabilities are forced to wait in long queues and are sometimes turned away without receiving help.
The committee urged Sassa to implement an outreach programme specifically targeting older persons, people with disabilities, and those living in care homes to ensure they receive their black cards at their residences.
It calls on Sassa to implement an outreach programme to older persons, people with disabilities homes, and old age homes to ensure that their black cards are issued at their places of residence, as Sassa policies provide for.
The portfolio committee also called on Sassa to consider extending the rollout period, expressing concerns that many beneficiaries, particularly those in rural areas, may not be able to obtain their new black cards before the deadline.
The shortage of Postbank sites in rural and remote areas has made it difficult for beneficiaries to access renewal sites. The committee is also worried that due to these challenges and network issues at some sites, not all of the 28 million grant beneficiaries will be migrated before the deadline.
The lack of Postbank sites in rural areas and those outside urban areas has resulted in beneficiaries struggling to access renewal sites.
"Furthermore, the committee is concerned that not all the 28 million grant beneficiaries will be migrated before the deadline, due to these challenges and network problems at some sites."
