SASSA debit card
THE Western Cape Department of Social Development has called for an extension to the deadline of SASSA’s new payment system migration, over concerns of two few service points.
Last week, SASSA and Postbank announced an urgent call to social grant beneficiaries to replace their SASSA Gold Cards with the Postbank Black Cards by 28 February.
From 1 March, mense on All Pay will be unable to withdraw their benefits using their SASSA Gold Card.
They were advised to visit one of 10 Checkers, Shoprite, Pick n Pay, Usave or Boxer in to make the changes.
But after an investigation by the provincial minister of Social Development Jaco Londt, he said a hele klomp mense outside the Cape metropole will face moerse challenges, with only two outlets in George made available.
In a statement, Londt says: Since this announcement, the Western Cape Government has received numerous queries and complaints from across the province about the uncertainty of this migration.
“We have also had reports of chaotic scenes in certain areas like Drakenstein, where grant beneficiaries flocked to Postbank to get their new card, but the office was apparently not operational.
“Most of these sites are in the Cape Town Metro, only two are outside of the city, in George. This is unacceptable because it leaves thousands of grant beneficiaries living in rural areas in the Western Cape without accessible options.
These individuals cannot be ignored. More service points must be established – and until that happens, the deadline for the expiration of SASSA Gold Cards should be extended.”