Social grant beneficiaries who have not yet switched from the Sassa gold cards to the new Postbank black cards have until month-end to complete the process before the old cards stop working.

Postbank urges recipients to act now, warning that the Monday 31 August deadline is fast approaching and that delays could result in disruptions to grant payments. The gold cards are being phased out and will no longer function once the migration process is complete.

Thamsanqa Cele, Postbank’s chief commercial officer, said beneficiaries should not wait until August or their usual grant payment dates to make the switch.

“We are already noticing a steady increase in queues at several of our card replacement sites. Based on current trends, we anticipate that queues will become considerably longer in August, which is the final month before the deadline,” Cele said.”Beneficiaries who postpone their visit until then may experience substantial delays due to the expected increase in demand.”

Postbank has deployed resources to support the migration programme.

The Postbank black cards are available from selected retailers, including Shoprite, Checkers, Usave, Pick n Pay, Boxer and Spar stores.

Card replacement sites are open nationwide from Monday to Friday, between 09:00 and 17:00. Beneficiaries can dial 120 355# from their mobile phones to locate their nearest replacement site.

The replacement process is free. Beneficiaries are required to present a valid South African identity document or temporary ID.

Postbank advised beneficiaries not to visit Sassa offices for the switch; instead, they should visit a nearby Postbank service point or contact the bank’s call centre.

The bank’s customer service teams can assist with issues including missed payments, PIN-related queries, lost or stolen cards, card reissues and declined transactions.

For assistance, contact Postbank’s call centre on 0800 535 455.