‘They took R200 from me’: SASSA grant recipients vent ahead of the festive season

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Unexplained deductions, outdated bank cards and frustration over grant values are weighing heavily on SASSA grant recipients.

0 Money. Image: Pixabay Grant recipients have taken to The South African’s Facebook page to vent about missing money, card confusion and SASSA grant values they say fall short as the festive season nears.

Luthando Ndlovu summed up the mood in isiZulu: “Kudlaliwe ngogogo,” loosely meaning that gogo has been played.

Yvonne Pietersen says part of her grant disappeared, and nobody told her why. “They took R200 from me last month, what for I don’t know, hope it will be right this month,” she wrote.

SASSA grant recipients who notice unexplained deductions should ask for a bank statement showing where the money went and query any debit order or deduction they did not agree to. Postbank customers can contact Postbank’s toll-free helpline on 0800 535 455.

Precious Kgomo asked: “Does the gold card working?”

It does not. From 1 September 2026, SASSA Gold Cards stopped working, and beneficiaries who still relied on them needed to switch to the Postbank Black Card or another bank.

Those who missed the deadline have not lost their money. The agency says the card is what stopped working, not the account or the grant, and any grant already paid into a Postbank account is still there. Replacing the card is free, and a valid ID or temporary ID is needed to collect a Black Card.

If you receive a SASSA grant and want to share your story, we want to hear from you.

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