Latest news with #PostbankBlackCards
IOL News
3 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
Scammers impersonate Postbank officials to rob SASSA grant beneficiaries
Postbank warns SASSA social grant beneficiaries about a surge in scams where fraudsters impersonate officials to steal grant cards and PIN information for black and gold cards. Image: File Brazen scammers are impersonating Postbank officials and entering the homes of SASSA social grant beneficiaries in an effort to rob them of their money. This is according to Postbank spokesperson Bongani Diako, who on Friday urged SASSA social grant beneficiaries using its Black Cards and SASSA Gold Cards to be wary of the rise in fraud scams targeting their cards and PIN information. 'The recent scam involves fraudsters impersonating Postbank officials and targeting social beneficiaries in their homes. The beneficiaries are then duped into handing over their Postbank grant cards and PIN information under the pretext that there is something that requires fixing on the cards; or fear is instilled in them that they will not receive their future grant payments if they don't hand over their card's PIN information,' said Diako. Postbank assured beneficiaries that there is nothing that requires fixing on any of its Black Cards and SASSA Gold Cards, and that both cards will continue to work beyond 31 May 2025 for the payments of their grants. 'Beneficiaries are also reminded that they should not listen to anyone that tells them to change their SASSA Gold Cards or Postbank Black Cards to other banks' payment methods, even if they are advised to do so by government officials,' said Diako. Diako appealed to beneficiaries to stay alert and vigilant. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ He said even if people are wearing what may appear to be Postbank uniforms or branded cars, beneficiaries will be able to identify imposters if they show up unannounced or without an appointment. 'Postbank will never visit your home unless you have requested that through the necessary home visit channels. Beneficiaries should always remember that their cards and PINs are personal keys to their money. They should never give them to anyone,' he said. For any enquiries, customers can contact Postbank on 0800 53 54 55.
IOL News
6 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
Are SASSA beneficiaries losing money by switching to personal bank accounts?
A growing number of SASSA beneficiaries are opting to receive their grants through personal bank accounts. Image: Nokuthula Mbatha/ Independent Newspapers. The North West Legislature's Portfolio Committee on Health and Social Development has raised serious concerns over the growing trend of social grant beneficiaries opting to receive their payments through personal bank accounts, a move that could be costing them a portion of their much-needed support. During an oversight meeting held with the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) and the Department of Social Development, Committee members were briefed on the migration from the traditional SASSA Gold Cards to the newly introduced Postbank Black Cards. The migration was prompted by a South African Reserve Bank (SARB) directive following a security breach involving the Gold Cards. However, it emerged that SARB has now suspended the migration process indefinitely. Beneficiaries are currently permitted to continue using their existing SASSA Gold Cards beyond the original May 31 deadline, a shift the Committee believes must be communicated to avoid panic and confusion. "People were rushing to switch cards, some even under pressure. Now, they need clarity and reassurance that their current cards are still functional. You need to ensure that this is communicated widely,' urged Committee Chairperson, Hon. Karabo Magagane. The Committee expressed deep concern over SASSA's revelation that 43,945 grant recipients have chosen to bypass both the SASSA Gold Card and the Postbank Black Card systems, instead opting for direct bank payments. While this may offer perceived convenience, the Committee fears that the associated transaction fees at commercial banks are quietly eroding the actual value of the grants. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading 'These beneficiaries may not realise that they are losing money to transaction fees and service charges, funds that are meant to support their most basic needs,' Hon. Magagane cautioned. Further compounding the financial strain, Committee members highlighted the informal deductions being imposed by some local retailers. Local tuck shops reportedly charge R10 for every R100 withdrawn, a surcharge that further reduces the amount of money recipients receive. 'This completely defeats the purpose of a social grant. A grant is supposed to alleviate poverty, not get eaten up by unnecessary charges,' one member stated. The Committee also slammed the limited number of Postbank conversion sites in the North West. Currently, only 12 sites are operational across the province, a situation described as 'grossly inadequate,' particularly for elderly beneficiaries living in remote areas. "Many of our elderly citizens live far from these centres and are not in a position to travel long distances just to access a card. This could be a driving factor behind the shift to personal bank accounts," said Hon. Magagane. In response to the pressing challenges, the Committee pledged to intensify its engagement with SASSA and Postbank, the two State-Owned Entities tasked with grant disbursement, to push for more accessible service points, better communication, and increased public awareness. "We are committed to ensuring that no beneficiary is left behind. We will push for ongoing awareness campaigns, improved accessibility, and sustained outreach efforts so that every grant recipient understands their options and the implications of each," Hon. Magagane said. The Committee is expected to reconvene in the coming weeks to assess progress and implementation of the proposed solutions. IOL News Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel.
The Citizen
02-05-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Sassa black card deadline postponed indefinitely
POLOKWANE – The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) announced last week that the deadline for replacement of the Postbank Gold Card by the recently introduced black card, has been indefinitely postponed, giving beneficiaries who had to face queues from early in the morning only to return the next day, a breather. According to the agency, roughly 102 000 people have switched to Postbank Black Cards, while over 44 000 have changed to banks. More than 174 000 people still have gold cards and it became evident that it was impossible to meet the previous deadlines due to limited resources offered at the service points. In the city, only one service point was available at Shoprite Checkers. Just before the announcement of the postponement, Sassa acting CEO Themba Matlou hosted a media briefing at Fusion Boutique Hotel to appease the media on Sassa's motto of 'Paying the right grant, to the right person, at the right time and place'. Matlou said that the stringent financial controls implemented by Sassa are gradually and consistently bearing the required fruit that will enable the agency to efficiently and effectively administer and distribute social grants to millions of its beneficiaries. 'In its 2023/24 Audit Action Plan Progress Report presented to the Portfolio Committee on Social Development in Parliament recently, Sassa portrayed an organisation that is pulling out all the stops to remedy the past. From the 2018/19 financial year, Sassa has unswervingly achieved unqualified audit outcomes, albeit with material findings from the Auditor General South Africa. Through collective efforts and the will to turn the tide, Sassa has deservedly experienced a sizable decline in irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure over the years,' Matlou said. 'We want to take the Sassa brand to greater heights and the road towards that journey starts with how we manage our affairs and the public money that we are entrusted with. We need to be prudent in our financial expenditure and we are steadily moving towards that', he stressed. Matlou emphasised that it is not all doom and gloom at Sassa as some of the issues in the environment are because of external factors that directly affect the agency, but his organisation is intent on facing all the challenges that come through head-on. 'Sassa serves the most vulnerable people in our society, and we will continue to take counsel from the Auditor General, National Treasury and our mother body, the Department of Social Development at all material times in line with government efforts to eradicate hunger and Sustainable Development Goals', stressed Matlou. Matlou also spoke of the amount of effort put in place by officials in turning things around, thus restoring the integrity of the agency. He, however, acknowledged that more still needs to be done and that all hands are needed on deck to turn Sassa into a leading social assistance entity. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
eNCA
24-04-2025
- Business
- eNCA
SASSA gold cards still valid after 31 May
PRETORIA - Postbank has announced SASSA Gold Cards will continue to work beyond 31 May this year. Grants will continue to be paid into those accounts. WATCH | Discussion | Over 28m South Africans receive grants This gives some relief to those social grant recipients who have not yet migrated to Postbank Black Cards. Nikki Mbengashe is the Postbank CEO spoke to eNCA.
Zawya
14-02-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Minister Londt welcomes extension of South African Social Security Agency (SASSA)-Postbank card replacement deadline, call for more service points
I welcome the announcement by the national departments of Social Development and Communications and Digital Technologies that the deadline for the replacement of the SASSA Gold Cards with the Postbank Black Cards has been extended to 20 March 2025. My office has been inundated with queries and complaints from SASSA grant beneficiaries across the Western Cape, even though SASSA is a national entity and does not fall within the powers of the Western Cape Government. Many of the complaints are centered around the lack of Postbank sites in rural areas. It is unacceptable that the majority of service points in the province are in the Cape Metro, with only a few in George, Vredenburg, and Caledon (although we have received reports that the sites in Vredenburg and Caledon do not seem to be operational). The offices also need to be adequately staffed to deal with the influx of beneficiaries. We have been pressuring SASSA and Postbank to address the flaws we have found in the card migration process, such as the lack of service points and adequate staffing. This is still a huge concern, as we cannot leave vulnerable residents living in rural areas behind in this process. Apparently, mobile offices will now be dispatched to service rural areas, but there will need to be clear and adequate communication on where and when these mobile units will be in the areas. Our office can assist in communicating this schedule, to ensure no resident is left behind in this process. These are the sites SASSA people can replace their cards at: <>Boxer Langa Boxer Philippi Boxer Mitchells Plain Checkers Hyper Parow Usave Bellville Shoprite Bayside Mall Shoprite Eerste River Shoprite Khayelitsha CBD Shoprite Gugulethu Shoprite Adderley Street Shoprite Thembalethu Shoprite George Shoprite Paarl Shoprite Vredenburg USave Caledon Postbank must increase the number of service points in rural areas, and adequately resource other sites in larger areas like the Cape Metro where residents have been experiencing extremely long lines while trying to replace their old cards. We have heard of elderly residents standing in queues from the early morning hours, only to be turned away. Many of our most vulnerable residents are spending money that they don't have to travel long distances to get to facilities that may or may not be able to help them. As a government, we have a profound duty of care to protect our most vulnerable residents. We must demonstrate this by resolving the current crisis swiftly and with humanity. We will continue monitoring the card migration process, to ensure vulnerable residents – for whom these grants are essential for their survival – receive the best possible service from these national entities. I will also be raising this issue during a meeting with the National Minister of Social Development and MECs from other provinces next week. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic Of South Africa: Western Cape Provincial Government.
