If you receive a social grant from a cash pay point or the Post Office, you have until the end of December to re-register on the new biometric-based payment system to receive a new South African Social Service Agency (SASSA) payment card.
You can use your SASSA card to get your social grant from an ATM, a cash pay point or a retail store.
According to Minister of Social Development, Minister Bathabile Dlamini, SASSA started the process of verifying and reregistering beneficiaries in March and will complete the process by the end of March 2013.
To reregister you must bring along your identity document. A child who receives a child support grant must bring along a copy of his/her birth certificate. You must also bring copies of the court order/s for all foster care grants.
All children who receive a foster child grant or a child support grant must go along with their caregiver, as the child and caregiver must enrol.
SASSA will conduct home visits for beneficiaries over 75 years, who are frail and/ or bedridden, at their homes or institutions such as hospitals, old age homes etc.
January 2013 – March 2013
SASSA has set aside January to March 2013 to register people who receive their social grants in their bank accounts.
Benefits of the new system
As a beneficiary, you can use your SASSA payment card at any ATM (normal banking costs apply) or designated merchants such as Pick n Pay, Shoprite, Checkers and Boxer free of charge.
The improved biometric-based payment system will minimise fraud and corruption. You will be enrolled close to the community where you live and will be able to choose between a personal identification number (PIN), a cash pay point or a merchant with a point of sale device that can scan your fingerprint. Once you receive your new card, you must keep the card and the pin number safe.
Review process
While the reregistration process is under- way, the routine review will cease. How- ever, from January 2013, planned reviews will continue. A review requires you to confirm that you still meet the criteria set to continue receiving the grant.
You may be subject to review if you:
- declared your income on your application
- receive a permanent disability grant but the medical assessment has indicated that your medical condition and/or disability may change
- receive a foster child grant on expiry of the court order
- receive a grant under a refugee ID and the period of the refugee ID has expired
- need to give SASSA extra information
- are suspected of committing fraud.
Before you are subject to review, you will receive a registered letter informing you of your responsibility at your last known address. It is therefore very important that you keep SASSA informed of any change to your address, and provide a postable address. If you fail to respond to official notification, your grant may be suspended and lapse.
Get the new SASSA payment card. It is convenient and gives you access to your social grant anywhere in the country.
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