Beneficiaries of South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) grants using gold cards to withdraw cash at cash payment points and at Post Office branches are advised to use their cards at any place that accepts a bank card.
Beneficiaries can use cards for making purchases at any retailer that has a point of sale to swipe for goods, or for withdrawing funds from any retailer that provides a cash-back functionality.
Grant recipients can withdrawal cash at the five partner retailers: Boxer, Pick n Pay, Spar, Shoprite, Usave and Checkers.
This is in line with the process of phasing out grants at physical cash pay points and cash payments inside post offices countrywide, effective from January.
According to Sassa and PostBank, planning entails that by 31 March all cash pay points and Post Office branch grant payments would have been disabled.
Factors cited for the transition include escalating cash-in-transit heists, unfavourable conditions at some of the cash payment point sites, and the closure and capacity challenges at many Post Office branches.
According to Sassa, as of December 2023, approximately 98% of Sassa beneficiaries already use various national payment system channels to withdraw their grants.
