Government Restores Sassa Grant Payment System and Addresses Beneficiary Concerns

Government Restores Sassa Grant Payment System and Addresses Beneficiary Concerns. In September, a considerable number of grant beneficiaries faced disappointment when they were unable to access their Sassa grant payments. The government has now disclosed its efforts to ensure the disbursement of funds to these vulnerable individuals.

Minister Apology and Assurance

Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Mondli Gungubele, has delivered a joint apology on behalf of various government departments, addressing the issue of non-payment of South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) grants to thousands of beneficiaries in September 2023. He also provides reassurance that the payment system has been fully restored.

Resolving Outstanding Funds

In cases where beneficiaries have not yet received their due payments or have only received partial amounts, urgent attention is being given to the manual process of rectifying these outstanding funds.

Government Commitment to Improvement

Acknowledging the financial and logistical inconveniences caused by the system failure, the government deeply apologizes to the affected individuals and emphasizes its commitment to enhancing systems to provide a dependable service.

Technical Issue and Backlog

A technical issue affecting Postbank on September 5th and 6th, 2023, resulted in a backlog of funds that were yet to be credited to the accounts of affected beneficiaries. This issue primarily impacted pensioners and disabled individuals holding Postbank Gold Cards.

Manual Reversal of Funds

To address the situation, Postbank has initiated the manual process of reversing these funds into the accounts of affected grant beneficiaries. While the majority of the 600,000 affected individuals have received their grants, the manual reversal process remains ongoing.

Preventing Double Payments

Postbank is vigilant about preventing fraudulent attempts to claim a second grant payment and is confident in its ability to safeguard against such occurrences.

Continued Validity of Sassa Gold Cards

Minister Gungubele confirms that grant beneficiaries do not need to apply for new Sassa cards. The validity of all gold cards has been extended until December 31, 2023, allowing beneficiaries to use their expired Sassa Gold Cards until the end of the year.

Strategy to Replace Expiring Sassa Gold Cards

The Department of Social Development (DSD) has outlined plans for the issuance of new Sassa Gold Cards, with Postbank leading the efforts. Retail stores will also play a role in card distribution, and further details will be provided by Postbank in due course.

Alternative Payment Methods

Grant beneficiaries have the option to change their payment method and receive their funds directly into their bank accounts. To make this change, beneficiaries can visit their nearest Sassa office.