April 2025 SASSA Older Person Grants – Uncertainty Looms Over Beneficiaries

Uncertainty increases over SASSA old age pension in April 2025 – will the increased grant be available?

More than 4 million senior citizens in South Africa depend on the Old Person Grant provided by SASSA (South African Social Security Agency). But as April 2025 approaches, the concerns of these pensioners are increasing.

• So far the government has not clarified whether the pension amount will increase in April 2025 or not.
• There has also been no official announcement regarding the exact date of payment.

Due to this delay, the financial stability of millions of elderly people may be at risk, as they are completely dependent on this pension for their daily needs.

Current status of old age pension as of March 2025

The current amount of SASSA old age pension as of March 2025 remains the same as it was earlier.

Age Group	Grant Amount
60 to 74 years	R2,190
75 years and above	R2,210

• The government has not given any new information regarding the grant for April 2025, leaving senior citizens not knowing whether they will receive any increased amount or not.

Change from SASSA Gold Card to Postbank Black Card – Another Big Problem

SASSA and Postbank have announced that it will be necessary to adopt the Postbank Black Card instead of the SASSA Gold Card to receive old-age pension. This change is mandatory to be completed by March 20, 2025.

But so far, out of the 30 lakh affected beneficiaries, only 12 lakh people have received the new card. That is, 18 lakh people are still using the old SASSA Gold Card, which will not work after March 20.

• If these beneficiaries do not get the new Postbank Black Card in time, they will not be able to access their pension funds.

Main problems in the card change process
Limited service centers:

There are very few places available to change cards in rural areas, causing a lot of problems for the people there.

Technical and staff problems:

The process is slow in some places due to lack of staff, technical glitches, and security concerns.

Very slow progress:

• 1.40 lakh cards need to be changed daily by 20 March 2025, but currently only 10,000 cards are being changed daily.
• If this situation continues, millions of people may face problems in receiving grants.

Possible delay in April 2025 pension payment – ​​what will be the impact?

Although SASSA and Postbank have assured that there will be no disruption in pension payments, those who do not get the new black card on time will have trouble withdrawing their money.

• If a person does not change his card before March 20, he will have to resort to alternative methods to withdraw his money.

Alternative ways to withdraw old age pension

Post Office Branches:

• Grant amount can be withdrawn by going directly to some post offices.

Cardless Withdrawals:

• Money can be withdrawn without a card from select retail shops and ATMs.

Bank Transfers:

• If a beneficiary has a bank account, he can choose to get his grant deposited directly to the bank.

However, local cash withdrawal services are most convenient for the elderly living in rural areas. If the card replacement process is not completed soon, many elderly people may face difficulty in withdrawing their money.

Uncertainty over possible April 2025 old-age pension increase

• Usually, the increase in old-age pension is announced by the Finance Minister in the budget speech.
• But the 2025 budget speech has been postponed to 12 March 2025.

This means that beneficiaries do not know whether their pension amount will increase from April.

Old-age pensions have increased from R10 to R90 in previous years. But this time millions of elderly people are facing uncertainty in the absence of any official announcement.

Eligibility of new applicants for SASSA old-age pension

If a new person wants to apply for the old-age pension, he must meet the following conditions:

• Must be a citizen, permanent resident, or refugee of South Africa.
• The applicant must be 60 years of age or older.
• Should not be receiving any other social grant.
• Should not be living in state-funded institutions (such as old-age homes).
• Must pass the “Means Test” which determines income and assets.

Criteria	Single Applicant	Married Applicant
Maximum Monthly Income	R8,070	R16,140
Maximum Annual Income	R96,840	R193,680
Total Asset Value	R1,372,800	R2,745,600

If a person’s income or assets exceed the standards set in the “Means Test”, then he will not be eligible for this grant.

Required Documents

Applicants must visit a SASSA office and submit the following documents:

• 13-digit bar-coded ID (or smart card)
• Certificate of marital status
• Residence certificate (not older than three months)
• Bank statements for the last three months
• Proof of income, financial benefits, or assets
• UIF (Unemployment Insurance Fund) membership certificate (if applicable)
• Will and liquidation documents if the spouse has passed away in the last five years.

What to do if the application is rejected?

• If one’s application is rejected, one must appeal to the “Department of Social Development (DSD)” within 90 days.
• If the appeal is approved, the payment will be backdated to the date of the first application.

Conclusion

• Uncertainty remains over the SASSA old-age pension for April 2025.
• It is mandatory to convert SASSA cards to Postbank Black Cards by 20 March 2025.
• The budget speech will announce a pension increase, but this has been postponed until 12 March 2025.
• Those who wish to make a new application should prepare the necessary documents.

Seniors are advised to confirm their status by visiting the SASSA website, helpline or nearest office.

April 2025 SASSA Older Person Grants – FAQs