Last call for Sassa gold card holders as March 20 deadline looms

THE MINISTER of Social Development, Nokuzola Tolashe, has once again urged social grant beneficiaries to replace their South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) gold cards with the new Postbank black card or switch to a bank of their choice, as the deadline for the transition approaches.

The initial deadline of February 28 was extended to March 20, 2025 after some beneficiaries experienced difficulties making the switch and raised concerns about potentially missing their payments.

Tolashe previously criticised Postbank’s original deadline, stating that it was not supported by tangible facts and labelled the slow transition to the new black cards as a crisis after elderly beneficiaries were forced to queue for hours in their attempts to get the card.

Reaffirming the government’s commitment to providing an "efficient social security system," Tolashe said they are working tirelessly to address the challenges faced by beneficiaries.

"We want to assure you that our commitment to providing an efficient social security system remains a priority. We are doing everything in our power to resolve the concerns and difficulties you face," Tolashe said.

She emphasised the urgency of replacing the gold cards before they become invalid.

"We are working tirelessly to ensure that all beneficiaries using the gold card are assisted quickly, efficiently, and with dignity. Since the gold cards will stop working from March 2025, we encourage beneficiaries to either replace them with the Postbank black card or switch to the bank of their choice," she added.

Tolashe also highlighted efforts to enhance the security of Sassa systems to protect beneficiaries’ personal information.

"We are strengthening and monitoring our systems to prevent any attacks and to ensure that your personal information remains protected at all times," she said.