SASSA WC distances Itself from City of Cape Town Outreach Programmes Assisting with Card Migration Process

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) in the Western Cape says that it is not involved in the card migration process being carried out through certain outreach programmes conducted by the City of Cape Town.

PICTURE: GovernmentZA

SASSA beneficiaries have until 20 March 2025 to swop their gold SASSA card for the black Postbank card. According to SASSA – as of 13 February, 48 142 Postbank Black Cards have been issued in the Western Cape. 287 914 beneficiaries’ SASSA Gold Cards still need to be replaced.

 ‘’While we acknowledge the good intentions behind the City’s efforts to assist beneficiaries, it is important to note that these initiatives are independent of SASSA and are not part of our official processes. SASSA urges all beneficiaries to follow the official communication channels provided by the Agency for card migration,’’ said Shivani Wahab, Sassa Western Cape spokesperson.

‘’The card migration process, which is part of the transition to a new payment system, is exclusively managed by SASSA and Postbank. Beneficiaries are advised to visit their nearest SASSA office, or use the official SASSA and Postbank helplines, websites, or SMS services for accurate, up-to-date information regarding their card migration from the SASSA Gold Card to the Postbank Black Card,’’ he added.

SASSA said while local councillors in various wards may be providing assistance, SASSA is not directly involved in these community outreach efforts.

‘’SASSA takes the security and privacy of its beneficiaries seriously, and we caution against participating in any unauthorised programmes or services that claim to assist with the card migration,’’ said Shivani Wahab, Sassa Western Cape spokesperson.

Meanwhile, Social Development Minister Nokuzola Tolashe has issued a public apology to social grant beneficiaries who have endured long queues, excessive travel costs, and system failures while attempting to swap their gold SASSA cards for Postbank black cards. This comes after numerous complaints from grant recipients who have struggled to access the service, particularly in remote areas where post offices are either non-existent or far away.

Tolashe embarked on a three-stop oversight visit in the Western Cape on Monday, starting in Grabouw, moving to Khayelitsha, and concluding in Bellville. The objective of the visit was to assess the situation first-hand and ensure that interventions are in place to alleviate the burden on grant recipients.

 

Done By: Mitchum George