Social grants: Yes, you WILL be paid, assure Sassa and Post Office
Reports that the SA Post Office is considering closing grant payments pay-points are described as "inaccurate and misleading".
The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) and the Post Office (SA Post Office) assure social grant beneficiaries that they will continue to be paid on time every month.
Weekend media reports that stated the Post Office may not be able to process social grants payments are incorrect. In a joint statement, both organisations assured that social grant payments to the more than 11 million Sassa beneficiaries will not be disrupted.
The funds are deposited directly into social grants beneficiaries’ accounts every month by Sassa. The SA Post Office serves as a distribution agent of the grants which are deposited into the Postbank Sassa/SA Post Office gold card accounts. The Sassa/SA Post Office gold card accounts are opened and managed in accordance with the contract between Sassa and SA Post Office.
ALSO READ: What you need to know when applying for a Sassa grant
“There is no need for SA Post Office funds to be uilised to pay grant beneficiaries. The weekend media reports are inaccurate to state that beneficiaries might not get paid because of the SA Post Office.”
The reports that the SA Post Office is considering closing grant payments pay-points are also inaccurate and misleading. There are 1740 cash pay points through the country which are serviced monthly. They are located in mostly rural areas where there is no national payment infrastructure. Sassa has the sole prerogative to determine these pay points and not the SA Post Office.
The SA Post Office reiterates that the reports in the media, which are based on an internal discussion document expressing the views of an individual, that it is losing R60m on the Sassa grants payment contract is inaccurate. The R60m cited in the report reflects a cost figure of SA Post Office that is associated with the grants payments contract and not a loss.
On the contrary, the Sassa contract presents a necessary revenue stream for the SA Post Office. The point of discussion in that document, which has been reported out of context, was about the manner how the SA Post Office can structure a number of its cost fundamentals to better the financials of the Sassa payments contract.
SA Post Office’s current business turnaround efforts, and pursuit for additional revenue streams, have no bearing on its grant payments relationship with Sassa which is a long-term contract.
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