Addressing Recent Payment Challenges
The Departments of Social Development and Communication and Digital Technologies, as well as their respective agencies, the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) and Postbank, recently held a joint ministerial media briefing to update the public on the challenges some social grant beneficiaries faced with their Postbank accounts. The briefing sought to address the previous week’s announcement that Postbank had resolved the intermittent system issues leading to delayed payments for some social grant recipients. Both departments reassured the nation that all outstanding issues with the affected social grant accounts would be promptly rectified.
The officials are pleased to announce that Postbank has confirmed the correction of all SASSA Grant beneficiaries’ accounts impacted by the system issues on September 5th and 6th. The funds are now readily accessible in the accounts and can be withdrawn from bank ATMs, retailers, and Post Office branches. Furthermore, beneficiaries should be aware that once their money is deposited into their Postbank account, they can access it at their convenience. The SASSA gold card can also be used to make purchases at merchants.
Preparing for the October Payment Cycle and Addressing Misinformation
In anticipation of the October payment cycle, officials have started making plans to avoid the challenges encountered this month. Teams from the Departments of Social Development and Communications and Digital Technologies, along with their agencies, have been meeting regularly to devise a long-term solution to technical issues.
Both departments and their agencies recognize the unfortunate burden the grant payment challenges have placed on society’s most vulnerable members. They extend their deepest apologies to all social grant beneficiaries who faced difficulties accessing their social grants this month. In response to numerous false accounts and statements circulating on various platforms, officials clarified that the root cause of Postbank’s system issues was the migration to a new system. This system upgrade has been underway for some time, in line with the bank’s Corporate Plans and as a requirement by the South African Reserve Bank as part of Postbank’s banking license application process.
Beneficiaries are advised to disregard false information suggesting that the September payment challenges resulted from an expired SASSA card. The Reserve Bank has granted an extension for SASSA cards to remain operational until December 2023, allowing beneficiaries to continue using the same cards.
Continued Communication and Support for Beneficiaries
The departments and their entities will maintain regular updates for SASSA beneficiaries on the card replacement program’s details. They also assure the nation that changes in the Postbank Board will not impact the bank’s operations or capacity. Both Minister Zulu and the Minister of Communications & Digital Technologies have acknowledged the necessity for Postbank and SASSA to engage in joint communication activities targeting remote areas, including community radio stations. Both organizations, along with the DSD and the DCDT, will participate in outreach programs to ensure that the people they serve have access to reliable information.
SASSA and Postbank remain available to address any inquiries from grant beneficiaries regarding their social grant applications and payments. They are actively implementing measures to prevent future challenges in the banking ecosystem, investing in robust technology infrastructure, enhancing communication and collaboration among relevant agencies, and strengthening oversight mechanisms to ensure uninterrupted grant payments.
In conclusion, both departments and their state agencies express their gratitude to stakeholders in the payment value chain for their support during the September payment challenges period. They further urge society members not to exploit this challenge for political or criminal gain.
