In Conversation With Andile Tshona
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The South African Social Security Agency, or SASSA, has confirmed that social grant payments for September 2025 will go ahead as planned, reassuring beneficiaries who rely on these payments for basic needs like food, utilities, and transport. Over 19 million grants are paid monthly, reaching more than 12 million South Africans, making this one of the country’s most significant social support programs.
Around three million beneficiaries receive their grants through Postbank. While SASSA’s contract with Postbank has now ended, beneficiaries are not required to switch banks. Those who wish to stay with Postbank can continue to do so, while others are free to transfer their grants to different banking institutions. SASSA has emphasised that no disruption to access or payment of grants will occur during this transition. Beneficiaries are encouraged to withdraw funds gradually or use their SASSA cards to pay for goods directly, which helps prevent overcrowding and ensures smoother access to funds.
The termination of the Postbank contract was a contractual and administrative matter, driven in part by fairness considerations. SASSA highlighted that subsidising bank charges for some beneficiaries while excluding others would be unfair. The agency reassured the public that all beneficiaries will continue to have full access to their grants, and Postbank will continue providing standard banking services for those who choose to remain with the bank.
In April 2025, social grant beneficiaries were given a deadline to transition to new Postbank cards, with the warning that those who didn’t meet this requirement, would have to migrate to other banks.
Andile Tshona, Senior Manager for Media Relations at SASSA, is on the line to provide clarity on the end of SASSA’s contract with Postbank and how this effects grant beneficiaries.
Around three million beneficiaries receive their grants through Postbank. While SASSA’s contract with Postbank has now ended, beneficiaries are not required to switch banks. Those who wish to stay with Postbank can continue to do so, while others are free to transfer their grants to different banking institutions. SASSA has emphasised that no disruption to access or payment of grants will occur during this transition. Beneficiaries are encouraged to withdraw funds gradually or use their SASSA cards to pay for goods directly, which helps prevent overcrowding and ensures smoother access to funds.
The termination of the Postbank contract was a contractual and administrative matter, driven in part by fairness considerations. SASSA highlighted that subsidising bank charges for some beneficiaries while excluding others would be unfair. The agency reassured the public that all beneficiaries will continue to have full access to their grants, and Postbank will continue providing standard banking services for those who choose to remain with the bank.
In April 2025, social grant beneficiaries were given a deadline to transition to new Postbank cards, with the warning that those who didn’t meet this requirement, would have to migrate to other banks.
Andile Tshona, Senior Manager for Media Relations at SASSA, is on the line to provide clarity on the end of SASSA’s contract with Postbank and how this effects grant beneficiaries.
