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THE SOUTH African Social Security Agency (Sassa) and the SA Post Office have called on social grant beneficiaries whose Sassa gold cards expire in March this year to head to their nearest Post Office branch in order to be issued with a new card.
Sassa’s Northern Cape senior manager in communication, marketing and customer care, Inno Khunou, said the issuing of new cards will start on Monday.
“Mondays and Tuesdays, starting from March 13, 2023, will be dedicated to the issuance of the cards to the old age grant recipients and persons that receive disability grants,” said Khunou.
“Wednesday to Saturday, starting from Wednesday, March 15, 2023, will be dedicated to the collection of new Sassa/Postbank gold cards by recipients whose cards expire in March 2023 at any Post Office branch nationwide by persons receiving child support grants and persons receiving all other grants.”
Khunou advised beneficiaries whose cards are expiring this month to head to the Post Office Sassa offices.
“Only people with Sassa/Postbank gold cards expiring in March 2023 must come to collect new cards at the South African Post Office. Grants recipients carrying cards that are not expiring during March are discouraged from making attempts to collect new cards at the Post Office during this month.
“Grant recipients having Sassa/Postbank gold cards expiring in further months should not be concerned because they will continue to receive their social grant monies into those cards as they remain valid.”
She said that basic documentation is required from beneficiaries in order to be issued with a new card.
“Social grant recipients must bring along their South African Identity Document (ID) and their current Sassa/Postbank gold card that is expiring in March 2023. New Sassa/Postbank gold cards will only be issued at post offices to the person in whose name the expiring card has been issued. No person will be able to collect a Sassa/Postbank gold card on behalf of another, unless they are registered with Sassa as a procurator.
“Post Office branch staff will assist grant recipients to activate the new cards, select a new pin and the cards will operate immediately to make withdrawals or any other type of transactions,” added Khonou.
She said those who have lost their expired cards should not be discouraged from going to get their new cards.
“Grant recipients that have lost or misplaced their Sassa/Postbank gold cards expiring in March 2023 must also go to a nearby Post Office branch to collect their new Sassa/Postbank gold cards. Post Office branch personnel will use fingerprint verification to issue the beneficiary with a new Sassa/Postbank gold card,” she advised.