The South African Postbank (SAPO) has confirmed that Sassa gold cards will remain valid and fully operational while the new black Mzansi Debit Cards are being issued.
Every month, Sassa 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.
Grant beneficiaries use their Sassa gold cards to access funds and make purchases. In September, Postbank announced that these gold cards will gradually be replaced by the new Sassa black card.
Postbank spokesperson Bongani Diako assured beneficiaries that Sassa gold cards will remain fully operational until the transition to black cards is complete. "Gold card beneficiaries in areas where we have not yet started issuing black cards need not be concerned," Diako said.
We will deliver the new cards to every part of the country. Their gold cards will continue to work until they are replaced.
Diako urged beneficiaries to ignore any misinformation suggesting that Sassa gold cards will lose functionality. Some beneficiaries have reportedly been told to change their payment methods to ensure future grant payments. However, beneficiaries should disregard this advice; no change in payment method is required.
The new Sassa cards feature enhanced security and are compliant with updated EMV (Europay, Mastercard, and Visa) standards, providing a more secure and efficient way to receive grants. The EMV compliance also aligns with the requirement for banks to replace cards after a certain period.
Postbank has not set an official completion date for the transition, stating that it will be finalised once every Sassa gold card has been replaced.
