Postbank IT Malfunction Sparks Disarray in Sassa Grant Payouts

Postbank IT Malfunction Sparks Disarray in Sassa Grant Payouts.The smooth flow of social grant payouts to beneficiaries has been severely disrupted by a technical malfunction within Postbank’s payment system, causing widespread frustration and despair among recipients.

Postbank IT Malfunction Sparks Disarray in Sassa Grant Payouts

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This incident has led to long queues at Postbank offices and Sassa branches across the country, with many individuals going home empty-handed and angry. The malfunction is attributed to a system migration fault, resulting in declined withdrawals at ATMs and retail shops, particularly affecting the elderly and physically disabled grant recipients.

Chaos at Pay Points

The malfunction has resulted in chaotic scenes at various pay points, with elderly and sickly individuals struggling to access their much-needed funds.

The primary victims of this disruption have been the elderly, whose grants were scheduled for Tuesday, and physically disabled beneficiaries expecting their payouts on Wednesday. Queen Malinga’s frustrating experience at the Postbank in Kliptown, Soweto, is emblematic of the widespread discontent as she stood in line for hours without receiving her funds.

Beneficiaries Left Empty-Handed

Stella Makhubu, aged 77, faced a similar situation when attempting to collect her old age grant at Pick n’ Pay in Diepkloof, Soweto. Her inability to access her funds left her with the added burden of providing for her waiting grandchildren.

Pat Zungu, aged 80, had to borrow money to inquire about his grant in Pretoria, leaving his disabled wife at home, hoping for a resolution to their payment issues.

Postbank Response

Postbank has assured beneficiaries that the issue will be resolved by the end of Wednesday. According to spokesperson Bongani Diako, the malfunction is linked to a system migration process as Postbank transitions to a more compliant banking system. While the exact number of affected beneficiaries remains unknown, Postbank acknowledges that the glitch is an internal IT problem.

Advocacy and Calls for Improvement

Elizabeth Raiters, deputy chair at #PayTheGrants, has been actively seeking information from both Sassa and Postbank in an effort to address the delays. Kelle Howson, senior researcher at the Institute of Economic Justice, emphasized the importance of Postbank showing understanding toward beneficiaries and improving its capacity to handle such issues with rationality and efficiency.

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