Postbank and SASSA appeal to social grant beneficiaries to replace their SASSA Gold Cards with the new Postbank Black Cards by 28 February 2025.
Beneficiaries who fail to get Postbank Black Cards before the deadline are advised that they will not be able to access their SASSA grant payments with the SASSA Gold Cards. After this deadline, Gold Cards will not function to withdraw cash from all ATMs and retailers, and they will also not be allowed for transactions such as balance enquiries, statement printing, or retail purchases, as they will be blocked.
Postbank started replacing SASSA Gold Cards with the new Postbank Black Cards in September 2024. Hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries have already changed their cards and are accessing their grants using the Postbank Black Cards. Other beneficiaries are encouraged to collect their new Postbank Black Cards, as after this deadline, the SASSA Gold Cards will no longer be valid for any transactions.
The SASSA grants payments that started in the week of 4 to 6 February 2025 will be the last payments made with SASSA Gold Cards.
“We appeal to beneficiaries that have not yet switched to Postbank Black Cards to take the opportunity and get the new cards before the deadline of 28 February 2025 to avoid being unable to access their SASSA grant payments. All current SASSA Gold Cards in everyone’s possession will stop working on 28 February 2025, irrespective of the expiry date written on the card. Please go to your nearest Postbank site at one of the retailers near you, including Checkers, Shoprite, Pick n Pay, Usave, and Boxer, and get your Postbank Black Card to continue transacting.” Nikki Mbengashe, Postbank CEO, explains.
To get the new Postbank Black Cards, beneficiaries only need a valid South African ID or a temporary ID. No card will be issued without these documents. Ensuring that minimum documentation is required is in line with SASSA and Postbank’s ongoing commitment to continuously improve the customer experience of all social grant beneficiaries.
The new Postbank Black Card is also free of charge for all beneficiaries, supporting Postbank’s financial inclusion mandate and SASSA’s social welfare responsibilities.
The new Postbank Black Cards work in all the National Payment System channels, including ATMs, retailers’ point-of-sale machines, and any place that accepts a bank card immediately after it is issued to a beneficiary. There is no waiting period for when they can be used for transactions. The new cards also have updated safety and card features.
The great news for social grant beneficiaries is that they will continue enjoying the same benefits that they are getting from the Gold Cards when switching to the new Postbank Black Cards, and these include
• One free card replacement per year
• 3 free withdrawals in stores per month
• 1 free monthly statement over the counter
SASSA and Postbank are committed to ensuring that no one is left behind and that all grant beneficiaries conveniently replace their cards. To achieve this, Postbank has ensured that it selects the card replacement sites in line with the beneficiaries’ withdrawal preference patterns. Grant beneficiaries can conveniently replace their SASSA Gold Cards with new Postbank Black Cards, where they collect grant payments, mainly at retailers that include Shoprite, Checkers, Usave, Boxer Nationwide, and Gauteng Pick n Pay stores.
“Our strategy for where we chose to issue our cards is based on where customers already get their grants now. We have worked with these retailers because they are familiar to our customers, and we endeavoured to be as close as possible to where most beneficiaries are in each province”, says Ms Mbengashe.
“Our appeal to social grant beneficiaries is that they should not wait for the last minute or their cards to stop working. They must get their Postbank Black Cards now at their nearby card replacement site as that will guarantee that they continue receiving their payments,” says Themba Matlou, SASSA Acting CEO.
Beneficiaries are advised to always be wary of criminal elements that often capitalize on busy cycles of economic activity to perpetrate scams. We ask them to be extra careful with their IDs and always ensure that the person they hand their ID to is an authorized official. They must also always keep their cards safely in their purses and wallets when not using them. Beneficiaries are also advised not to accept cards that look like Postbank Black Cards issued by other people and institutions under false pretences.
