NATIONAL NEWS - The SA Post Office says there are approximately 600 000 SASSA beneficiaries who have not yet switched to the new gold SASSA card. In the Western Cape alone, 77 000 beneficiaries still need to swap their cards. “These beneficiaries must switch before the end of November 2018, because the old white SASSA card will stop working at the end of the year,” the Post Office’s statement read.

Getting the new gold SASSA card is a simple procedure where the beneficiary visits any Post Office branch that issues SASSA cards, presents an identity document and is then issued with the new card within minutes according to the official statement.

Special arrangements are made for immobile beneficiaries who cannot visit a post office. These beneficiaries (or their relatives) should call the SASSA toll-free number 0800 60 10 11.

Rian de Jager, Post Office regional manager in the Western Cape, says: “The partnership between SAPO and SASSA has freed millions of social grants beneficiaries from unwanted deductions.”

Using the gold SASSA card, beneficiaries have access to their entire grant with zero transaction fees. They are entitled to one free cash withdrawal from a Post Office per month and unlimited free swipes to pay for shopping at all shops.

The card can also be used at any ATM, but bank charges will apply to ATM withdrawals.

The SA Post Office took over responsibility for paying SASSA grants entirely from the end of September 2018, when SASSA’s contract with Cash Paymasters (CPS) expired.

The Post Office has so far issued 7,1 million new SASSA cards to beneficiaries.

The following aspects of the current payment solution are already in the control of the state, via SASSA and SAPO, which was not the case with the previous service provider:

• SASSA and SAPO have full access to the beneficiary data.
• SASSA and SAPO have full access and ownership of biometric data.
• SAPO and SASSA own the VISA Scheme certification for all the cards issued.
• SASSA and SAPO have full control of the transactional data.
• SASSA and SAPO have full ownership of the SASSA BIN. No other product is using the same BIN.

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