Grant recipients and pensioners in KwaZulu-Natal are urged to collect their payouts from ATMS and designated retailers instead of the SA Post Office branches this month.
This recommendation comes in light of reports from numerous Post Office branches in KZN, which have indicated potential cash shortages due to upcoming cash delivery schedules.
Postbank spokesperson Bongani Diako has issued a statement advising South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) recipients scheduled to receive their grants from today, Tuesday October 3, to use ATMs and designated retailers like Boxer, Pick n Pay, Spar, Shoprite, and Usave for collecting their payments. He stressed that Sassa gold cards, the means through which beneficiaries receive their funds, function like ordinary bank cards.
“As such, they can be used for cash withdrawals at any bank ATM and can also be used for over-the-counter cash withdrawals at retail stores, in addition to making in-store purchases. There is no need to go an withdraw the cash all at once,” said Mr Diako.
While Post Office branches in KZN may not have sufficient cash on hand for grant disbursements, they will remain open to provide Sassa beneficiaries with non-cash services, including PIN resets.
This move to encourage beneficiaries to use ATMs and retailers for grant collection follows a previous incident in the region where hundreds of beneficiaries experienced delayed payments due to a technical glitch on September 5 and 6. To ensure a smoother and more efficient distribution of social grants, Sassa and Postbank are urging grant recipients to consider the available alternatives for accessing their funds during this period.
