Calls for extension as February 28 deadline looms Beneficiaries were seated under the shelter at the Chatsworth Sassa offices. Picture: Yoshini Perumal
PENSIONERS in Chatsworth are grateful to Sassa officials for the smooth transitioning from gold to black cards as the February 28 deadline looms.
Last week, Sassa and Postbank urged social grant beneficiaries to replace their Sassa gold cards with Postbank black cards by the end of the month. If not, they would not be able to access their grants.
The DA has, however, appealed to Sassa to extend the process until every social grant beneficiary in need of a Postbank black card has received one.
Vijay Govender, from the Dolphins Senior Citizens Club from Arena Park, said: "The Chatsworth Sassa offices were efficient and organised. The process is simple and does not take long. Pensioners need to get a form from the Sassa office. They then need to go to the bank and open an account. Sassa will then deposit the money directly into that account.
"It is a safer method and there is less chance of them being defrauded. With a bank account, they also do not have to withdraw all their money at once."
Vanitha Naidoo, from Croftdene, was at the Sassa office at 9am and was done by 11am.
“The process was simple and there were no issues. The queues moved fast and there was a shelter for us to sit under, while we waited our turns. I am happy I will have a bank account where the grant will be sent to,” she said.
Alexandra Abrahams, an MP and the DA deputy spokesperson on Social Development, said" "The DA seized the opportunity to propose an addition to the agenda of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee meeting on Social Development.
“The topic was to address the ongoing crisis regarding the transition of all Sassa gold cards to Postbank black cards before the looming February deadline. This proposed addition to the agenda was unanimously supported by all committee members."
He said the DA called on Sassa to extend all gold cards.
Abrahams said the DA had been inundated with concerns and complaints from grant recipients struggling to switch to the Postbank black card.
He said they were concerned they might not receive their grants.
Abrahams said the switch has been a continuous project with multiple extensions of the gold cards.
“It is therefore concerning that despite the continued calls for and granting of extensions, Sassa seems to have learned no lessons to navigate this crisis of their own making.
"In the Western Cape, Sassa has only established 12 collection sites, none of which are in the west region and severely lacking in rural areas. Nationwide, there have been few to none home visits to assist those beneficiaries with mobility or other issues.
"And beneficiaries have been sent from pillar to post, with very little assistance, guidance, or correct information from Sassa or the Postbank.
“In fact, the DA has been advising Sassa beneficiaries to switch to reputable banks to receive their funds and alleviate the strain on the Postbank, but even this has been fumbled by Sassa.
"They have reportedly been unable to deal with the number of requests to switch to reliable banks. This failure has resulted in a backlog that Sassa seems unable to deal with and which are forcing grant beneficiaries to continue to use either their soon-to-be expired Sasaa gold cards or attempt the switch to Postbank black cards."
He said an extension to the deadline would provide Sassa an opportunity to capture and process this backlog.
Abrahams said while Sassa had indicated to the committee that they were busy negotiating an extension of the gold cards, this situation should have been anticipated, negotiated, and resolved long before the middle of the month in which the cards are set to expire.
“While the DA also commends Sassa’s efforts to train officials to assist with the switch to Postbank black cards, such interventions should have been employed months ago. Sassa is dropping the ball, while the vulnerable and poor people, who rely on social grants for survival, are suffering,” he said.
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