SASSA cards won’t expire 31 Dec,agency assures grant recipients
The matter of the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) cards expiring at the end of December has made for a lot of uncertainty among social grant beneficiaries.
POLOKWANE – Beneficiaries live in fear of what will happen when the card expires on 31 December, but Sassa gave them the assurance that beneficiaries of social grants will continue receiving their grants as usual.
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“The matter has been dealt with and resolved by all parties concerned, namely Cash Paymaster Services (CPS), Payments Association of South Africa (Pasa) and MasterCard,” Sassa Spokesperson, Paseka Letsatsi, said in a media statement.
“Following an agreement with all these parties, Sassa can confirm the official Sassa card issued to social grant beneficiaries will operate without any problem beyond the expiry date of 31 December printed on it.
“This therefore means the card will be accepted at all retailers irrespective of the expiry date printed on it. The reason for this is that the technology and the acceptance of the card into the National Payment System requires no enhancement as this has already been addressed.
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“Sassa further wishes to reiterate that the Sassa card, bearing the colours of the South African flag, remains the only official card and cannot be changed for any other card,” the statement read.
The CEO of Sassa, Pearl Bengu, said: “Beneficiaries of social grants have no need to panic anymore as this issue has finally been resolved. It has been agreed in our negotiations that Pasa will issue a notice to all retailers informing them they should accept the Sassa card as it will still function properly irrespective of the expiry date printed on it”.
Bengu also assured beneficiaries that payment of their social grants will go ahead as usual.
She concluded by saying the agency is aware the expiry date on the card coincides with the period when most parents will prepare to take their children back to school and that Sassa would never allow any families or children to be impacted negatively by this issue.
She warned beneficiaries to be careful of any individuals posing as Sassa employees offering to exchange their Sassa cards for any other card because of the expiry date. She also warned about a scam promising Sassa cardholders a Christmas bonus when they supply their names, ID numbers and Sassa card numbers.
