The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) in the Free State has advised recipients using the gold Sassa cards expiring on 31 December this year to renew their cards before the date in question. The agency warns that those failing to complete the renewal during the period before the expiry date will be affected and will not be able to receive money.
The agency confirmed these gold cards are still valid and beneficiaries can continue using their cards to withdraw money. In the Free State, 355 008 beneficiaries of state grants are still using gold cards due to the expiry date only at the end of December.
Relebohile Maphasa, provincial spokesperson of Sassa, says beneficiaries renewing their cards have a right to choose an alternative payment method for their social grant payment in any legal financial institution, merchants and bank.
“To receive payment through alternative multiple payment channels of the client choice, the client has the prerogative to choose by completing the form which is available at local Sassa offices and service points,” said Maphasa. The form to renew cards is also available on Sassa’s website at sassa.gov.za. Recipients must complete Annexure C on the method of payment form.
The following documents are required when submitting the request for payment method at the offices or service point:
A valid identity document (ID), proof of bank account (bank, merchants confirmation letter), or three months’ bank statement that depicts the personal details of client e.g. names as they appear on identity document.
Currently, the total number of people depending on state grants in the Free State is said to be about 586 165, of the approximately 3 million strong population of the province.
More than one million people are receiving social grants. Most beneficiaries are recipients of child support grants, followed by the elderly and persons living with disabilities, while 423 996 receive the Covid-19 social relief of distress grant of R350. The South African government implemented this special grant in May 2020 in response to alleviate distress brought on by the global pandemic. Initially, the period for this grant was six months but it was later extended until March 2024.
