Elderly social grant beneficiaries endured long waits outside the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) office in Wynberg, Cape Town, on Tuesday as they rushed to replace their expiring gold Sassa cards. The renewal, necessitated by the upcoming February 28 deadline, saw pensioners arriving before dawn in hopes of securing their new Postbank-issued black cards.
By 7am, the queue had already wrapped around three sides of the block, with many beneficiaries standing for hours without access to seating or shelter. Frustration and fatigue were evident among those waiting, many of whom rely on their grants as their primary source of income.
Jack Pontac, an 80-year-old pensioner from Retreat, expressed his exhaustion after repeated attempts to replace his card.
“I was here yesterday from early in the morning until after 1pm, but I had to leave because I couldn’t stand any longer,” he said.
Despite recovering from months of illness, he returned the following day, determined to complete the process.
“I just hope that my pension will come through by March.”
Adding to the confusion, Pontac said he was initially directed to the Grassy Park Postbank site, only to find it closed. He was then redirected back to Wynberg, further delaying his application.
With the deadline approaching, concerns over accessibility and processing efficiency remain high. Sassa has previously assured grant recipients that they would be able to withdraw funds using alternative banking methods should they not receive a new card in time. However, uncertainty persists among pensioners, many of whom are unfamiliar with digital banking alternatives.
Postbank, the entity responsible for issuing the new black cards, has urged beneficiaries to collect their replacements promptly to avoid disruptions in grant payments. Despite these assurances, overcrowding at designated collection points remains a pressing challenge, raising questions about whether additional measures should be implemented to ease the process for elderly citizens.
As the February 28 deadline looms, the pressing issue remains whether all affected beneficiaries will successfully transition to the new system in time. For many, their social grants are a financial lifeline, and any delay could have severe consequences. Sassa has yet to announce whether provisions will be made for those who are unable to replace their cards before the cut-off date.
