The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) released crucial details about how beneficiaries in KwaZulu-Natal can collect their withdrawals from Tuesday, 3 October 2023.
SASSA grant payments: Where to collect October withdrawals in KwaZulu-Natal
SASSA clients are advised to not approach the South African Post Office for their October grant payments due to anticipated cash shortages at many branches in the province, caused by delays in cash delivery.
The alternative collection points include retail stores such as Boxer, Pick n Pay, Spar, Shoprite, and Usave.
Beneficiaries can make withdrawals over the till inside these retail stores, in addition to in-store purchases.
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The SASSA gold cards, which beneficiaries use to access their grants, function like standard bank cards and permit cash withdrawals from any bank ATM.
Despite the cash limitation, Post Office branches in KwaZulu-Natal will remain open to provide non-cash services to SASSA beneficiaries, including PIN reset assistance.
In the interim, Postbank has reassured the beneficiaries that the forthcoming grant payments will be processed smoothly.
This reassurance follows the payment challenges encountered in September, which adversely affected over half a million beneficiaries due to late disbursements.
Postbank identified the root cause of the delay to be a new switching system, which has since been replaced to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
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In a recent meeting with the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), Postbank elaborated on the remedial measures put in place, including having technicians on standby to address any arising issues promptly.
The SAHRC, on its part, has pledged to closely monitor the upcoming social grant payment cycle to ensure beneficiaries face no further inconveniences.
The alternative collection arrangements for October aim to provide a seamless withdrawal process for SASSA grant beneficiaries in KwaZulu-Natal, ensuring they continue to have unhindered access to their funds amidst the logistical challenges faced by the Post Office branches in the province.