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By Anita Dangazele
- SASSA beneficiaries still using an old gold card must swap it for the new Postbank black card by 31 August, or it will stop working.
- The swap is free. You only need a valid South African ID or temporary ID, no forms, no fee.
If you’re still using an old gold SASSA card, you have until Sunday, 31 August, to swap it for the new Postbank black card. After that date, your old card will simply stop working.
Government confirmed this deadline at a recent post-Cabinet briefing. It’s not a new grant application, and you won’t lose your grant itself. Your money will still be paid into your account as normal. The problem is that if you don’t swap your card in time, you won’t be able to withdraw or spend that money, because your card will no longer work at ATMs or shops.
The good news: the swap is completely free. You just need your South African ID book or card, or a valid temporary ID. There are no forms to fill in and no fee to pay. If anyone asks you for money to replace your card, do not pay them, and report it.
You can swap your card at designated Postbank service points, including counters inside major retailers like Shoprite, Checkers, USave and Pick n Pay. To find your nearest site, dial *120*355# on your phone and follow the prompts. You don’t have to go back to the province where you first applied for your grant, you can swap your card anywhere in the country.
As of recent figures, hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries still hadn’t made the switch, so expect long queues in the final days before the deadline.
Postbank has said this deadline will not be moved again, so it’s best to go as soon as you can rather than waiting until Sunday.
Pictured above: A Postbank black card, which is replacing the old SASSA gold card.
Image source: Postbank
