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WITH the recent announced by South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) on the shift from grants being paid at Cash Pay Master Services to the South African Post Office, social grant beneficiaries making use of Net 1-EasyPay Everywhere, seem to be in the dark.
Recently, Sassa announced that beneficiaries will have to re-register for their grants and will be issued with SA Post Office cards.
At the beginning of April, Social Development Minister Susan
Shabangu announced that she will be visiting pay points to monitor social grants cash payments and customer service and at the same time address arising matters regarding grant payouts.
Last week KZN Sassa together with Telecommunications Minister Siyabonga Cwele, visited pay points in Port Shepstone assuring beneficiaries that the shift will not affect them.
Beneficiaries were encouraged to start visiting their nearest branches to re-register as the shift will be affective from September, as ruled by the constitutional court.
Reports in the news said the Constitutional Court suspended the invalidity declaration of the contract between Cash Paymaster Services (CPS) and Sassa by six months, effective from April 1.
Reports also stated that Sassa welcomed the ruling, committing to ensuring that all the conditions set by the court are fully complied with.
According to Sassa letters advising EasyPay Everywhere account or green cards holders were sent requesting grant beneficiaries to state whether they wish to continue collecting their grants from their EasyPay Everywhere cards. Beneficiaries were requested to respond to those letters urgently.
The Net 1 Board has assured all green card holders that they will not be affected by the change.
“All beneficiaries who have an EasyPay Everywhere card (green card) have entered into a commercial agreement with Grindrod Bank and as long as they wish to maintain this relationship, they are entitled to do so in terms of the Social Assistance Act.
“They are therefore, able to continue receiving their grants by using their EasyPay Everywhere cards without any disruption.”
The board said beneficiaries who hold a Grindrod Bank account, irrespective of whether it is a Sassa branded card or an EasyPay Everywhere card, can continue to do so until further notice.
“There is no requirement to make any change at this time,” she said.
