Overview
- Postbank set a close-of-business migration deadline on Monday, Aug. 31, 2026 that requires SASSA gold card holders to collect Postbank black cards to continue accessing social grants.
- Postbank says the replacement is free, requires only a valid South African ID or temporary ID, activates on collection, and transfers any gold-card balance automatically to the new black card.
- Beneficiaries can pick up cards at Postbank service points inside participating Shoprite, Checkers, Usave, Pick n Pay, Boxer and Spar stores and can locate the nearest site by dialing *120*355# from any phone.
- Postbank warns that the 2–7 September grant payments will still be deposited for those who miss the deadline but that beneficiaries will not be able to withdraw funds until they complete the migration; the bank will keep replacement sites open after the deadline and offers a helpline on 0800 53 54 55 to restore access.
- Media reports say roughly 70,000 beneficiaries had not yet migrated, a figure with limited sourcing, and the switch marks the final phase of Postbank and SASSA’s multiweek rollout that removes expired gold cards from the payments system.