How SASSA Payments Work Without Bank Accounts
If you have been approved for a SASSA grant but you did not choose to receive your payment through a bank account then you may be curious as to how the other payment methods work. Keep reading to find out more.
The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) distributes social relief grants to people who are unemployed and financially vulnerable. After you have applied for the SASSA grant and have been approved for the grant then you might be wondering how the grant payment process works, if you have not opted to receive your payment into a bank account.
You will receive a designated day of the month on which you should collect your SASSA grant payment, depending on which grant you have been approved for. Social grants are usually paid during the first week of a month. These grants include the disability grant, older person grant, and the foster care grant.
However, if you are a beneficiary of the Social Relief Distress (SRD) grant then you will not have a fixed payment date, while child support grant beneficiaries are paid on the date which was ordered by the court.
Beneficiaries are allowed to choose which grant payment method works best for them.
Beneficiaries can receive their grant payments by making use of a SASSA card, visiting the post office, merchants, and retail stores.
Here is how R350 SRD grants are paid:
Post Office
You can collect your SRD grant payment at your nearest Post Office. R350 grants cannot be collected on days where other SASSA grants are being collected.
Specific groups of people can collect their grants on specific days. These groups are made by using the last 3 digits of your ID number. You will also need to wait for an SMS saying your grant is ready to be collected and should not head to the Post Office if you haven’t received this SMS.
Post Bank/CashSend Services
Should you not have a bank account, you can also receive your R350 grant through a CashSend, using the PostBank services.
This sees beneficiaries use their ID numbers and phone numbers to access their grant money. You must have a cellphone with a registered cellphone number and proof of identification.
PicknPay & Boxer Stores
In trying to find more ways for beneficiaries to collect their grant and to make SASSA grant payments easier, SASSA announced that beneficiaries can access their grant by visiting a Boxer or PicknPay store. You will not be able to collect your grants at BP Pick n Pay Express, Pick n Pay Clothing and Pick n Pay Liquor stores.
Just like at the Post Office, beneficiaries need to wait for an SMS saying that their grant is ready for collection before heading to the store.
Here are the rest of the SASSA grants are paid:
SASSA Card
Grant recipients can choose to have their grant money paid into their SASSA card account. By using the SASSA card account, you are not liable for any costs, unless the card is used for services that are in excess of what SASSA pays for. If you choose to get a SASSA card, it will be issued to you by South African Post Office officials.
Visit the SASSA website for more information.