Paarl

W Cape welcomes extension of SASSA-Postbank card replacement deadline

Western Cape MEC for Social Development, Jaco Londt, has welcomed the announcement extending the deadline for replacing the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) gold cards with the Postbank black cards to 20 March 2025. 

This decision was shared in a joint press release by the Ministers of Communications and Digital Technologies, Solly Malatsi, and Social Development, Nokuzola Tolashe, on Friday. 

“My office has been inundated with queries and complaints from SASSA grant beneficiaries across the Western Cape, even though SASSA is a national entity and does not fall within the powers of the Western Cape Government,” he said. 

According to the MEC, many of the complaints are centred on the lack of Postbank sites in rural areas. 

“It is unacceptable that the majority of service points in the province are in the Cape Metro, with only a few in George, Vredenburg and Caledon, although we have received reports that the sites in Vredenburg and Caledon do not seem to be operational. The offices also need to be adequately staffed to deal with the influx of beneficiaries.”

He believes that mobile offices will now be dispatched to service rural areas, but there will need to be clear and adequate communication on where and when these mobile units will be in the areas.

“Our office can assist in communicating this schedule, to ensure no resident is left behind in this process.”

These are the sites where SASSA people can replace their cards:

•    Boxer Langa;
•    Boxer Philippi;
•    Boxer Mitchells Plain;
•    Checkers Hyper Parow;
•    USave Bellville;
•    Shoprite Bayside Mall;
•    Shoprite Eerste River;
•    Shoprite Khayelitsha CBD;
•    Shoprite Gugulethu;
•    Shoprite Adderley Street;
•    Shoprite Thembalethu;
•    Shoprite George;
•    Shoprite Paarl;
•    Shoprite Vredenburg, and
•    USave Caledon.

Londt has called Postbank to increase the number of service points in rural areas and adequately resource other sites in larger areas like the Cape Metro where residents have been experiencing extremely long lines, while trying to replace their old cards. 

“We have heard of elderly residents standing in queues from the early morning hours, only to be turned away. Many of our most vulnerable residents are spending money so that they don’t have to travel long distances to get to facilities that may or may not be able to help them.

“As a government, we have a profound duty of care to protect our most vulnerable residents. We must demonstrate this by resolving the current crisis swiftly and with humanity.” 

He said the province will continue to monitor the card migration process, to ensure vulnerable residents – for whom these grants are essential for their survival, receive the best possible service from these national entities.

“I will also be raising this issue during a meeting with the Minister of Social Development and MECs from other provinces this week,” he added. – SAnews.gov.za 
 

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Sun, 02/16/2025 - 09:01
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