‘No glitches’ with grants

Social grant payments by the SA Post Office (Sapo) are continuing without any hitches, according to Social Development Minister Susan Shabangu.

August 1 “marked a historic milestone for the partnership between the SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) and SA Post Office (Sapo) regarding the payment of social grants”, said the minister yesterday.

“I am pleased to report that the August payment cycle went without any major incidents in all of [Wednesday’s] pilot sites spread throughout all the nine provinces. Sapo made 100% cash payments at all its pilot sites.”

Shabangu attributed the improved service to the upgraded Sapo IT systems that now meet banking industry standards. A new grants payment system and a new Sassa card were also introduced as the agency comes to the end of its controversial contract with Cash Paymaster Services.

The new card can also be used to withdraw cash at banks and cash merchants, said Shabangu.

“A few incidents were experienced where beneficiaries with new Sassa cards attempted to collect their grant monies at paypoints but were redirected to ATMs and participating merchants,” she added.

“Beneficiaries are made aware that the new Sassa card functions the same way as any bank card with a PIN, and does not make use of biometrics as a method of verification.”

The Cash Paymaster Services (CPS) tender granted to pay social grants was declared invalid by the Constitutional Court last year, obliging Sassa to look for a new service provider to disburse grants to millions of beneficiaries. The old Sassa card will no longer work after September, when the invalid CPS contract ends.

Last month, a system glitch resulted in thousands of beneficiaries not being able to access their money. Many were turned away by Sassa officials, who cited technical difficulties with the system.

The South African government pays at least 17 million beneficiaries monthly grants that include child support, old-age pension, and foster child care. – ANA