SASSA: Grant payment dates to change in May

LESSONS learnt from the last payment cycle during the lockdown have compelled the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) to review the payment dates going forward.

As from the month of May, disability and older persons grants will be paid from the fourth day of the month. All other grants will be paid from the sixth of every month.

The grant payment for April was brought forward to Monday, 30 March, and the first two days were dedicated to people with disabilities and older persons to ensure compliance with the State of Disaster requirements.

However, impatient child support grant beneficiaries could not wait for Wednesday, 1 April, and descended upon payment channels as early as 30 March.

Sassa started consulting role players such as the National Treasury, South African Post Office, banking association, retailers, and the consumer goods council among others.

What came out of the consultations is that people with disabilities and the aged need to be protected from the month-end rush at payment outlets and therefore payment needs to be staggered in such a way that these categories of beneficiaries receive their grants before others.

Sassa will make use of two payment files. The first one will cover the aged and the disabled while the second payment file will cover all other grant types.

The elderly using one card to also receive child support and foster child grants will be able to access all linked grants from the fourth of every month. Once the money is in the account, it will remain there until it is needed.

“Money deposited into your account is safe and will not be taken back if not used. The Sassa card can be used as a debit card to pay for purchases, therefore it is not necessary to withdraw cash and purchase goods with the cash,” said Sassa CEO, Busisiwe Memela.

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