As the deadline to transition from the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) gold card to the Postbank black card looms large, scores of people queued in West Street Durban to make the switch ahead of March 20.
Image: Sibonelo Ngcobo | Independent Newspapers
THE South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) has confirmed that the Post Office was ready to receive the beneficiaries who were unable to meet the March 20 deadline to swap their current gold card to the Postbank black card.
Any attempt to use the old card after the March 20 deadline will be unsuccessful as there would be no further extensions granted.
Only 1.1 million beneficiaries have been able to make the switch while 1.5 million people are still outstanding. In the Western Cape, 174 473 beneficiaries still need to make the switch.
Authorities also confirmed on Tuesday that any payment method changes made from Wednesday will be processed but grant beneficiaries will not receive their payments until May.
Sassa briefed the Standing Committee on Social Development to provide an update on the ongoing migration process from the current gold cards to Postbank Black Cards.
Sassa general manager, Sibusiso Nhlangothi said: “Any MOP (method of payment) taken after 18 March will still be processed but beneficiaries will only be paid in May. When the cut off date comes and we take the application for a method of payment change as Sassa, we try to be strategic to make sure the client gets the money. (But) once the application is captured then the money is not available, until (the application) is verified and approved. So we try to make sure they come and they give the form then the form is only captured after they’ve received the money.”
DA MPL Memory Booysen said: “We all know what’s going to happen after the 20th to those who have not migrated yet and those who have not been captured yet. This is where the panic mode buttons should be pressed, (it) is really gonna set off a crisis. What’s gonna happen to those who have not migrated yet on the deadline date? My understanding was that the gold card holders would still have access to their last tranche.”
DA Western Cape Spokesperson on Social Development, Wendy Kaizer-Philander said Sassa has underspent its R200 million budget for the Postbank card replacement campaign.
“This is worrying given that so many beneficiaries have yet to migrate to the new system, and the possibility of them not receiving their grants next month is becoming a very real concern for many vulnerable South Africans."
Nhlangothi said beneficiaries would be able to get their grants from the Post Office.
“Come the 20th the gold card will not work but Postbank has made arrangements with the Post Office. These beneficiaries only need their ID’s, they will go to the Post Office, when they get to the Post Office, their money will be there," he said.
PA MPL Donna Stevens questioned whether the post office would be prepared to receive beneficiaries.
“The day of payments there’s a lot of people going to the post offices, will Sassa make sure that the post offices have enough money for that day? Because you do get sometimes when there’s payout they close the doors and say there’s not enough money or there’s a staffing problem. There’s going to be a lot of complaints when people go to the Sassa offices, what are you going to do about the long queues?” she asked.
Nhlangothi said: “We knew in the past there was a problem of limited cash and limited staff that will create unnecessary queues, we have a weekly exco meeting. They (Postbank) have confirmed they have made provision there will be enough cash for beneficiaries when they come to the Post Office and they will make the Post Office ready to receive new beneficiaries coming. The CEO of Postbank said they have identified 570 branches of SAPO throughout the country.”
He added that after the switch over was completed their next project would address the issue of queues.
“Our next project is to deal with the queues. We are bringing trucks from the Northern Cape, the trucks have arrived and are parked in Atlantis, they are going to be rebranded, and then we will come back to present our plan, in the next 2 to 3 months.”
Cape Times