2025 SASSA Gold card extension ‘inadequate’, say recipients
Just four-weeks away, there’ve been calls for a 2025 SASSA Gold card extension until all beneficiaries receive new black cards …
The South African Social Security Agency 2025 SASSA Gold card extension is turning into a debacle the embattled department could do without. Firstly, with less than 20-days notice, Postbank hastily announced an urgent deadline for SASSA Gold card swaps. This applied even if the card’s expiry date was listed as something else and the client lived in a remote rural area …
Understandably, this created panic for the majority of elderly and disabled grant recipients still using the gold card. As a result, Postbank and agency staff were completely unprepared for the influx of social-welfare beneficiaries who still need to make the card switch. According to SASSA, approximately 30% of ‘core’ SASSA recipients still use the soon-to-expire cards, which equates to roughly 11-million clients. Many of whom vow to switch payment methods after this …
2025 SASSA GOLD CARD EXTENSION
Following a tremendous uproar from disrupted recipients, a 2025 SASSA Gold card extension was granted last week by the Minister of Digital Technologies Solly Malatsi. However, many believe the new deadline of Thursday 20 March 2025, just four-weeks away from the date of publishing, is still inadequate for the number of SASSA recipients who need to be assisted.
As we know, the elderly, disabled and vulnerable mothers with newborns have reported queuing for hours with no assistance. Postbank says you can find a participating retailer for the swap by dialling *120*218*3# and following the prompts. However, the feedback is that even at these stores, people are not being served because systems are offline and too few people are at the counters.
HOW TO CHANGE PAYMENT SYSTEMS
It’s no wonder then that the 2025 SASSA Gold card extension debacle has left hundreds of thousands of beneficiaries wanting to change to alternative payment systems. Click on the highlighted link above to complete the forms and find out what you need to leave Postbank behind once and for all.
However, the major concern is that even with a 2025 SASSA Gold card extension, many still won’t be serviced in time, reports TimesLive. Specifically, an extension fails to address the deeper, systemic issues with social grants nationwide. “This deadline extension, which is just four-weeks away, will do little to ease the considerable frustrations, confusion and access barriers many beneficiaries encounter,” said the Democratic Alliance (DA) in a statement last week.
MARCH PAYMENT DATES AND CONTACT LIST
Grants likely to be impacted by the 2025 SASSA Gold card extension are the following:
- Older Persons Grants: Tuesday 4 March 2025.
- Disability/War Veteran Grants: Wednesday 5 March 2025.
- Children’s Grants: Thursday 6 March 2025.
*The agency reminds beneficiaries that payments may take 2-3 days to reflect in your bank account.
If you have not been helped, you can attempt to contact the agency here:
- Postbank: 0800 53 54 55
- SASSA Toll-Free Call: 0800 60 10 11
- SASSA Head Office: 012 400 2322
- Email SASSA: grantsenquiries@sassa.gov.za
- Email Postbank: postbank.enquiries@postbank.co.za
WILL YOU BE SWITCHING PAYMENT METHODS?
Let us know by leaving a comment below or send us a WhatsApp on 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African’s newsletter and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest FREE-to-read news.