'Blocked' Sassa cards spark fraud fears

A NUMBER of South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) beneficiaries in Kimberley have been unable to withdraw their December social grants after their cards were reportedly blocked.

- SANDI KWON HOO

A number of Sassa beneficiaries say they are struggling to withdraw their social grants.

(Picture: Sandi Kwon Hoo/DFA)

A group of beneficiaries said they were directed by Sassa and Postbank to an agent operating from a Shoprite supermarket to process new Sassa cards.

“We were assisted by a Post-bank agent from Bloemfontein who continually told us that the system was offline. Some of our cards were swallowed by the ATM machines. After taking down our personal details, we noticed that life policies were taken out in our names and we do not know who the beneficiaries are,” they said.

They added that R195 was being deducted from their social grants every month without their permission for the life policies.

“Neither Sassa, Postbank, nor the police are able to assist us, as we were informed that the agents are not approved. We have seen other agents operating in Rood-epan and Ritchie.”