By Loushe Jordaan Gilbert

Following a mutual decision from both the South African Social Services (Sassa) and the South African Postbank, grant recipients will no longer be able to withdraw their monthly grants from Post Offices.

From the start of January 2024, the phasing-out process will be implemented. It is planned that by 31 March 2023, all cash payment points, and Post Office branch grants payments would have stopped.

Bongani Diako, spokesperson to the Postbank said they will continue their longstanding relationship with Sassa, however the decision to discontinue payments at the Postbank has been long overdue.

“Post Office branches will continue to assist Sassa beneficiaries with non-cash payments such as card reinsurances, PIN resets, printing of statements, and other such non-cash services. What will be discontinued is only the payment of cash to beneficiaries. So, the Post Office branch services will continue but only for non-cash transactions. The decision to move away from cash distributions was initially made in 2018 and forms part of a strategy to decrease cash-in-transit heists, unfavourable conditions at cash payment points sites, as well as capacity challenges faced at the Post Office,” he added.

Diako further said that the transition will be a smooth one and grant beneficiaries should be rest assured that all grants will continue to be paid out without any hassles.

“The transition will be implemented sensibly to make sure that no one is left behind. The aim of this process is to ensure that the grant recipients have no issues when wanting to access their funds in a safe, secure, and reliable fashion,” he reiterated.