With the deadline fast approaching for the migration of Sassa cards, it is all systems go to help grant recipients.

'This is where the panic buttons must be pressed," said Memory Booysen, a member of the Western Cape legislature on Tuesday, 18 March during a briefing about this week's deadline for social grant recipients to migrate to the new black cards.

On Thursday, 20 March, gold cards from the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa), which are used to withdraw grants, will no longer be in use following the card migration process. As Sassa acting regional executive manager Sibusiso Nhlangothi said, this effectively means, "If you are holding a gold card, it's a dummy."

After 20 March, recipients who have not migrated to the new cards cannot access their social grants. However, they can continue to collect their grants at post offices.

This week marks the end of a migration process which has left recipients frustrated. Long queues and understaffing have plagued assistance centres across the country, even after the initial February deadline was extended.

Clarity needed

In a briefing before the Western Cape legislature's standing committee on social development, Booysen said there had to be more communication on where beneficiaries could access their grants, what would happen after the 20 March deadline and what would happen when grant recipients...