SASSA and Postbank appeal to social grant beneficiaries to replace their SASSA Gold Cards with the new Postbank Black Cards by February 28.
In a statement issued by SASSA, beneficiaries are advised that if they fail to get Postbank Black Cards before the February 28 deadline, they will not be able to access their SASSA grant payments with the SASSA Gold Cards.
“After this deadline, Gold Cards will not function to withdraw cash from all ATMs and retailers, and they will also not be allowed for transactions such as balance inquiries, printing of statements, or retail purchases, as they will be blocked.
“Postbank started replacing SASSA Gold Cards with the new Postbank Black Cards in September 2024.
“Hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries have already changed their cards and are accessing their grants using the Postbank Black Cards.
“Other beneficiaries are encouraged to collect their new Postbank Black Cards, as after this deadline, the SASSA Gold Cards will no longer be valid for any transactions,” the statement read.
The SASSA grants payments that started in the week of February 4 to 6, 2025, will be the last payments made with SASSA Gold Cards.
Nikki Mbengashe, Postbank CEO, urged beneficiaries who have not switched to Postbank Black Cards to take the opportunity and get new cards before the deadline to avoid not being able to access their SASSA grant payments.
“All current SASSA Gold Cards in everyone’s possession will stop working on February 28, irrespective of the expiry date written on the card.
“Please go to your nearest Postbank site, which is mainly located at one of the retailers near you that include Checkers, Shoprite, Pick n Pay, Usave, and Boxer, and get your Postbank Black Card to continue transacting,” added Mbengashe.
The statement further added: “To get the new Postbank Black Cards, beneficiaries are only required to have a valid South African ID or a temporary ID.
“No card will be issued without these documents.
“Getting the new Postbank Black Card is also free of charge for all beneficiaries.
“The new Postbank Black Cards work in all the National Payment System channels that include ATMs, retailer’s point-of-sale machines, and any place that accepts a bank card immediately after being issued to a beneficiary. There is no waiting period for when they can be used for transactions,” the statement explained.
According to the statement, the new Postbank Black Cards’ benefits include:
- One free card replacement per year
- Three free withdrawals in stores per month
- One free monthly statement over the counter
To collect their Postbank Black Cards, beneficiaries must follow these instructions:
- Dial: 120218*3#
To continue, reply by pressing number: 1; and
Reply with the number representing the province they live in.
For any further inquiries, beneficiaries can contact Postbank or SASSA Customer Care Centers at:
Postbank: 0800 53 54 55
SASSA: 0800 60 10 11
