Sassa initiates successful test case for direct payment of grants

The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) successfully initiated a test case Thursday to directly pay about 100 social grant beneficiaries using commercial bank accounts of their choice as part of the January 2018 payment cycle.

Photo: East Coast Radio

This initiative is part of a long-term plan to remove the payment of social grants from Net1 subsidiary Cash Paymaster Services and for Sassa to take over this function in house.

It will be implemented in an incremental and phased manner until Sassa is in a position to own, operate and deliver a one-stop grant administration and payment service.

The agency will be working with the South African Post Office in the implementation of this long-term plan.

"With effect from 01 February 2018, Sassa will continue to make direct deposits into all beneficiary commercial bank accounts.

"Sassa has received and confirmed details of the commercial bank accounts of about 2,001,233 beneficiaries, who are receiving their social grants through banks", said Sassa CEO Pearl Bengu.

She emphasised that the agency would continue to pay all beneficiaries who receive their grants at cash paypoints or who use various merchants throughout the country.

The Sassa Payment Card use has been extended until 31 December 2018 and will be used to access social grants.