South Africa: Sassa Shuts Down Grant Panic After Post Office Cuts

  • Older people will get their money on Tuesday while the disability grants pay out on Wednesday across the entire country.
  • Grant receivers can skip office visits and use a new online website from home to verify their personal details instead.

Millions of South Africans will get their grant money this week without any delays.

The South African Social Security Agency has shut down fears of payment problems.

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This comes after Postbank stopped offering services at Post Office branches across the country.

Chief executive officer Themba Matlou says the changes will not hurt people who rely on the money.

Older people will get their cash on Tuesday. The disability grants will pay out on Wednesday. The children's grants will follow later in the week.

The agency has also set up a fourth payment day. This extra day is for people who miss their normal dates because of strict review processes.

Matlou says the current payment systems protect the money. He says the agency will not let administrative changes hit grant receivers.

"The way our systems work currently, they are intended to safeguard the interests of our important beneficiaries," he said.

He says the agency is fighting back against criminals. Sassa is locking down the system to block fraud from both inside and outside the organisation.

The agency is also checking the details of many grant receivers. Sassa wants to find out if they still qualify for the cash.

Sassa has launched a new online portal called eLife Certification. The website lets people verify their details from home instead of travelling to the agency.

Matlou urged people with internet access to use the online service. He said this helps them avoid travelling to the local offices and waiting around.

He asked people who can verify their details on the internet to stay away from the branches and use self-service.

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