No Panic: SASSA Gold Cards Valid Until Year-End 2023

• Despite any expiration dates printed on the SASSA Gold Cards, they will remain valid until 31 December 2023, according to a statement by the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) in Mpumalanga. This comes after many beneficiaries showed concern about the validity of their cards.
• Beneficiaries have the option to select a suitable payment method and can change it before the 15th of each month. These changes can be made online, reducing the need to visit local SASSA offices.
• The Mpumalanga region, home to over 1.5 million beneficiaries, has 53 active cash pay-points and 81 active SAPO branches where individuals can access their social assistance. SASSA provides further information via its toll-free number and operates weekdays from 08:00 – 16:00.

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) in Mpumalanga has issued a press release to reassure its beneficiaries that their SASSA Gold Card will remain valid until 31 December 2023, despite the expiration date indicated on the cards. This information comes amid a recent surge in office visits by beneficiaries worried about the validity of their cards.

SASSA is a national agency of the South African Government tasked with the disbursement of social grants. The agency’s gold card is a crucial conduit for beneficiaries to receive their social assistance, and any perceived interruption in its validity could cause significant concern.

IGNORE THE EXPIRATION DATE

“The expiry date has created panic among beneficiaries, resulting in an influx of visitors to our local SASSA offices,” the statement reads. The agency’s reassurance that the gold cards are still valid should alleviate these concerns and reduce the unnecessary strain on SASSA’s local offices.

Beneficiaries should ignore the stated expiry date on their SASSA Gold Cards and continue to use them for receiving social grants until the end of the year. This announcement should allay the fears of the approximately 758,618 beneficiaries – almost half of the total number of beneficiaries in the Mpumalanga region – who receive their grants through the SASSA/SAPO Gold Card.

CHOOSING YOUR PAYMENT METHOD

Although the SASSA gold card remains valid, beneficiaries are reminded that they have the choice to select a payment method that suits their needs. Beneficiaries can change their payment method before the 15th of every month. This change should be captured in the system according to the specified cut-off dates.

For those wishing to avoid the long queues at SASSA’s local offices, a request to change the payment method can be submitted through the online SASSA services portal.

ACCESSING SOCIAL ASSISTANCE IN MPUMALANGA

In the Mpumalanga region, with a total of 1,594,478 beneficiaries receiving social assistance on a monthly basis, the SASSA Gold Card is a prevalent method of grant reception. Beneficiaries can receive their grants at several locations, including Cash Pay points, SAPO Branches, ATMs, and retailers.

The region currently boasts 53 active cash pay-points and 81 active SAPO branches, all of which offer beneficiaries access to their social assistance.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Beneficiaries seeking more information can contact SASSA’s toll-free number: 0800 60 10 11 or 013 574 9428/9363 from 08:00 – 16:00 during weekdays, Monday through Friday.

In this period of uncertainty, SASSA is committed to ensuring that all beneficiaries receive their social assistance without disruption. With this announcement, the agency hopes to have resolved the confusion surrounding the validity of the SASSA Gold Cards and to have reinforced its commitment to its beneficiaries.