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The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Western Cape welcomes extension of the deadline for Sassa beneficiaries to swap their Gold Sassa card for the Black Postbank card. While the new deadline of 20 March 2025 is a positive development, the DA in the Western Cape believes that much more needs to be done to address the crisis surrounding the card-transition process.

It is concerning that limited sites are available. We demand an increase in the service points for Sassa and the Postbank, especially in rural communities, to ensure that no beneficiary is left behind as a result of geographical constraints. Additionally, there is an urgent need for more trained staff who can assist beneficiaries effectively, manage queues, and ensure the entire process is as efficient as possible.

It is concerning that at this critical time, the management of the Department of Social Development appears to be absent and out of the country, not attending to the real-time issues our communities face. This leadership vacuum is unacceptable at a time when the most vulnerable are desperate for support and service.

Wendy Kaizer-Philander, DA Western Cape spokesperson on Social Development, says: “As DA in the Western Cape we call for better collaboration between Sassa and the Postbank, to better streamline the process. This is to avoid having situations where beneficiaries have to stand in more than one long queue.

"The current flawed system is causing unnecessary panic and hardship. We will welcome any innovative approach to improve the system, like the deployment of mobile offices to especially rural areas and to help the disabled and bedridden beneficiaries."

The DA in the Western Cape remains committed to advocating for the needs of our communities, especially those in rural areas who are most affected by the delays and mismanagement surrounding the SASSA card-migration.

Issued by Wendy Kaizer-Philander MPP - DA Western Cape Spokesperson on Social Development