TODAY (20 March 2025) is D-day for social grant beneficiaries who have not yet replaced their South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) gold cards with the new Postbank black cards.

After today SASSA gold cards will be deactivated and beneficiaries who have not yet changed over to the new Postbank black cards, will not be able to use the SASSA gold cards to make any transaction, even if they have funds in their account.

Postbank CEO Nikki Mbengashe, explains that after the deadline retailers will not accept the cards for any transactions.

“Beneficiaries will also not be able to use SASSA gold cards on any ATM. The SASSA gold may be swallowed when inserted in any ATM to attempt a transaction,” Mbengashe said.  

However, the CEO further explained that tomorrow’s deadline is not a cut-off date for when Postbank stops replacing SASSA gold cards.

Postbank will continue replacing SASSA gold cards with new Postbank black cards in all its card replacement sites, even after this date. 

“Social grant beneficiaries may still replace their SASSA gold cards with Postbank black cards on, and after, 20th of March 2025.

“To prepare for the next grant payments that are scheduled for 3 to 5 April 2025, SASSA and Postbank encourage beneficiaries to make extra efforts to use the period between now and the payments dates to get their black cards,” Mbengashe said. 

Postbank and SASSA have assured social grant beneficiaries and the public that the payments of social grants will not be interrupted. 

All social grant beneficiaries will continue to be paid, including those who have not been able to get their black cards. 

“Starting from the next grant payments, social grant beneficiaries that are yet to replace their gold cards with Postbank black cards, can go withdraw their grant at their nearest Post Office,” Mbengashe said. 

Mbengashe added that the Post Office branch-based payments are a channel that many of the social grant beneficiaries have used before, and they are familiar with. 

Beneficiaries are urged to note that the Post Office branch payments will be restricted to social grant beneficiaries that are yet to replace their SASSA gold cards, asylum seekers and Postbank green Mzansi/blue cards’ grant beneficiaries. 

Beneficiaries who already have Postbank black cards are urged to use their card through ATMs and retailers to access their funds. 

To date, over one million beneficiaries have successfully replaced their old SASSA Gold Cards with the new Postbank Black Cards. ​ 

The new Postbank Black Cards can be obtained at various retailers, including Checkers, Shoprite, Pick n Pay, Usave, and Boxer. To receive a new card, beneficiaries need to present a valid South African ID or a temporary ID. ​ 

Postbank has also made it easy for beneficiaries to locate the nearest place in every province where they can collect their Postbank Black Cards. Beneficiaries can use their cellphones to:​

• Dial: 120*355#​
• To continue, reply by pressing number: 1​
• Reply with the number representing the province they live in​.

(Source: SAnews.gov.za)