At least 1.3-million social grant beneficiaries have successfully swapped cards from the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) to the Post Office‚ social development minister Susan Shabangu has said.
Shabangu said her deadline to deal with the swap was August‚ then "we will deal with glitches".
The payment cycle of July was characterised by a number of challenges. The huge influx of beneficiaries at cash pay points was a particular challenge‚ but bank transactions went "smoothly".
Shabangu was speaking at a meeting of collaboration with Nehawu on Tuesday in Braamfontein‚ Johannesburg.
Shabangu said her department miscalculated the problem.
"We never thought that the process of card swap from Sassa to Post Office would be so huge. So on the basis of that I don't think we prepared ourselves sufficiently to be able to deal with the capacity.
"We are happy that we are making progress. We have reached 1.3-million beneficiaries. The process started in mid-July; it's promising but it also shows us that there is receptiveness from our people‚" Shabangu said.
The minister promised to take the department's capacity and system improvement into serious consideration.
Sassa cards can still be used until September 30‚ 2018. Beneficiaries who receive their grant through their private bank accounts do not need to get the new Sassa card. These beneficiaries will continue to receive their grant in their private bank accounts.
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