SASSA and Postbank announce phasing out of Post Office cash pay points
SASSA Gold Card social-grant recipients using CPPs and Post Office branches must now use those cards at any place that accepts a bank card.
THE South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) and Postbank have recently announced that, as part of a broader strategy to improve the quality of cash withdrawal services for all social-grants recipients, physical Cash Payment Points (CPPs) and cash withdrawal of social grants inside Post Offices will be phased out.
According to a recently released statement from SASSA, the phasing-out process will be implemented in a staggered way, starting in January 2024. “It is planned that by March 31, 2024, all CPPs and Post Office branch grants payments would have stopped.”
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SASSA Gold Card social-grant recipients using CPPs and Post Office branches must now use those cards at any place that accepts a bank card.
“This includes making purchases in any retailer that has a point of sale to swipe for goods, or withdrawing funds from any retailer that provides a cashback functionality, using the existing Postbank cash withdrawals channels in the form of any bank ATM, or any of the five partner retailers that include Boxer, Pick ’n Pay, SPAR, Shoprite, Usave and Checkers,” said SASSA in their statement.
The decision to transition away from cash distribution at CPPs was announced in 2018, and it is grounded in a commitment to improve overall customer experience.
“Factors, such as escalating cash-in-transit heists, unfavourable conditions at some of the CPP sites, and the closure and capacity challenges at many Post Offices, drove this strategic move. By migrating beneficiaries to the other National Payment System (NPS) access channels, we are solving these challenges proactively,” said SASSA.
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As of December 2023, approximately 98% of SASSA beneficiaries already use various NPS channels to withdraw their grants, therefore, most SASSA beneficiaries will not be affected by this change.
“The transition will be implemented sensibly to ensure that no one is left out. The aim is to ensure continuity in the payments for everyone, and that every person is paid their grant in the most efficient, safe, secure, reliable and convenient manner. It is worth repeating the assurance from SASSA and Postbank that SASSA Gold Cards will not expire and will remain fully valid and operational – beyond the month of December 2023 – to pay social grants, contrary to misinformation and rumours that may cause many beneficiaries to make choices that are only driven by their intolerance of anxiety and not by facts,” said SASSA.
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