The SASSA‑Postbank deal is set to end in 2025, thus presenting a crisis that threatens the financial security of over 2 million SASSA recipients, while the transitional agreement between SASSA and Postbank ends. With these phased-out Postbank black cards, delays, technical problems, and uncertainties now stand in the path of many elders and vulnerable individuals.
Who Is Affected And Why
Since September 2024, the old gold cards have been converted to Postbank’s black cards by SASSA. But the process has seen many failures-from long queues and systems that did not work, to confusion over designation points. And more than 2 million grant recipients have, as a result, either given up or moved away from Postbank to another bank.
In KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, there are said to be numerous instances of hardships inflicted upon the elderly and the handicapped: long distances traveled for card replacements, repeat visits, and even missed grants due to system faults. At present, many are waiting, and with no cards after the deadline, they stand to lose the payment altogether.
Voices From The Ground
Eighty‑eight‑year‑old pensioners depict helpless frustration: “I had nothing while everyone else was paid.” The woman is trying to feed her two grandchildren. Another one accounts for a 72-year-old wheelchair user making several trips and then having to wait three weeks each time only to be told that their ID was invalid and they would get nothing.
Black Sash believes communication failures to be the cause of limited access to replacement sites. More disturbing is that beneficiaries have been denied either because of “network glitches” or as a result of staff unfamiliarity.
Postbank’s Response And Straining Of The System
Even Postbank CEO admits to these bottlenecks on the side of technology: inability of card networks; pin mechanisms; and criminal elements exploiting unfortunate aged. In regions such as Eastern Cape, where connectivity failures coincide with peak periods, whole payment cycles have been stalled. Asked to seek ways to increase number of distribution sites and expand home-based assistance by policy committees, SASSA and Postbank are still finalizing arrangements. With the deadline slipped to March date, eminently many beneficiaries remain stranded out in the wilderness.
What Beneficiaries Can Do Now
- Switch accounts : Over two million have already done so.
- Carry out cardless transacting : Cardless paypoints are said to be in the process of being rolled out by SASSA/DA as a fallback option.
- Attend action days : Keep an eye on announcements for mobile registration units in your community.
- Get help from NGOs : Groups such as Black Sash offer assistance with documentation, IDs, and appeals.
Also Read: SASSA Older Person Grants For August 2025: Full Payment Dates And Amounts Revealed