Cabinet has extended its appreciation to all social grant beneficiaries for their cooperation during the switch from the old South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) cards to the new gold cards.
Briefing media on the outcomes of the Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday, Communications Minister Nomvula Mokonyane said government has successfully migrated social grant payments from Cash Paymaster Services (CPS), as instructed by the Constitutional Court judgment.
“All cash beneficiaries affected by CPS have been migrated and CPS has been notified of the termination of the contract as of 30 September 2018,” Mokonyane said.
According to a report presented to Cabinet by the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC): Social Grants, chaired by Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, as of 1 October 2018, more than 10 million beneficiaries were paid using either the South African Post Office (SAPO)/Postbank; Grinrod Bank, as well as merchants such as Boxer, Shoprite, and Pick ’n Pay supermarkets.
Cabinet also extended its appreciation to the diligent oversight work led by the IMC, supported by the technical task team of Directors General.
It further extended its appreciation to the work of officials from SAPO, SASSA and the Departments of Social Development; Telecommunications and Postal Services; Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation; National Treasury; South African Police Service, and Government Communication and Information System.
The new SASSA card operates fully within the national payment system and social grants beneficiaries can use it to make ATM and merchant cash withdrawals, free retail merchant purchases as well as to withdraw cash over the counter inside any post office. - SAnews.gov.za
