Parliament Concerned About Inefficient New SASSA Card Rollout

Parliament Concerned About Inefficient New SASSA Card Rollout. The South African Parliament has expressed serious concerns about the inefficiency of the new Sassa card rollout, which has left thousands of grant beneficiaries uncertain about the future of their payments. With the deadline for replacing the old Sassa gold cards set for 20 March 2025, there are growing fears that the process will not be completed in time, potentially leaving millions of vulnerable South Africans without access to their social grants.

Challenges in the Postbank Black Card Rollout

The Parliamentary Committee on Social Development has voiced disappointment over the sluggish progress in distributing the new Postbank black card. Despite continuous reassurances from Postbank, reports indicate that the rollout remains plagued by inefficiencies, logistical bottlenecks, and a lack of accessibility.

The committee has criticized Postbank for failing to meet its weekly reporting deadlines, which were meant to track the progress of the intervention measures aimed at addressing the crisis. Despite commitments from Postbank to improve efficiency, there has been little progress, with many beneficiaries still struggling to obtain their new cards.

A major point of contention is the long queues that social grant recipients endure, often waiting from as early as 1 AM, only to be turned away without assistance due to technical failures or supply shortages. This has exacerbated the frustration and uncertainty among beneficiaries, many of whom rely on Sassa grants for their daily survival.

Technical Glitches and Delays

Further complicating matters, a recent visit by the Minister of Social Development to card issue sites in the Western Cape highlighted the severity of the inefficiencies. At one particular location, only 13 Postbank black cards were issued in four hours due to technical problems. Such issues cast doubt on whether Postbank has a viable and scalable plan to complete the card replacement process by the looming deadline.

Given the slow progress observed on the ground, Parliament believes that Postbank will not meet the 20 March 2025 deadline. As a result, the committee has summoned Postbank officials to appear before Parliament on 5 March 2025 to provide a full account of the challenges and solutions regarding the rollout process.

Millions of Grant Beneficiaries Affected

The urgency of the situation cannot be overstated. Sassa currently distributes over 18 million permanent grants across various categories, including:

• Older Persons Pension Grant
• Disability Grant
• War Veterans Grant
• Care Dependency Grant
• Foster Child Grant
• Child Support Grant
• Child Support Grant Top-Up
• Grant-in-Aid

Many of these beneficiaries still rely on the soon-to-expire Sassa gold cards, which Postbank had originally assured would remain valid until all recipients had received a Postbank black card. However, earlier in 2025, Sassa confirmed that gold cards would cease to function by the end of February, causing panic and prompting calls for an extension. The government granted an extension, giving beneficiaries until 20 March 2025 to collect their new cards, but uncertainty remains high.

Efforts to Improve the Rollout

In response to growing concerns, the Minister and MECs of Social Development (MINMEC) recently held discussions to address the ongoing challenges. Key issues raised included:

• Insufficient replacement sites for beneficiaries to collect their new cards.
• Long queues causing extreme delays and hardships.
• Lack of proper facilities at collection points.
• Logistical failures, forcing beneficiaries to travel long distances with no guarantee of being served.

Although Sassa has pledged to assist in accelerating the distribution process, Parliament remains skeptical about the feasibility of completing the transition before the deadline. Without urgent intervention and a streamlined strategy, millions of Sassa grant beneficiaries could face payment disruptions, further exacerbating poverty and financial distress in already vulnerable communities.

What Beneficiaries Should Do

Given the uncertainty surrounding the new Sassa card rollout, beneficiaries are urged to take proactive steps to avoid disruptions in their grant payments:

1. Visit your nearest Sassa office or Postbank-designated site to check on your card replacement status.
2. Monitor official announcements from Sassa and Postbank for updates on collection points and procedures.
3. Report issues immediately if you experience difficulties in obtaining your new card.
4. Avoid last-minute rushes by securing your replacement card well before the deadline.

Conclusion

The inefficient rollout of the Postbank black card has sparked national concern, with millions of South Africans at risk of financial hardship if their grants are disrupted. While Parliament continues to hold Postbank and Sassa accountable, urgent improvements are needed to ensure that every beneficiary receives their new Sassa card before the 20 March 2025 deadline.