Government Guarantees Uninterrupted Social Grant Payments Amidst Postbank Resignations. Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Mondli Gungubele, has provided reassurance to social grant recipients amidst the mass resignations within Postbank. Despite the recent upheaval at Postbank, Gungubele affirms that those dependent on social grants will receive their payments as scheduled.
Chaos at Postbank
Earlier this month, Postbank faced a tumultuous situation when a technical glitch in its payment systems left thousands of pensioners and social grant beneficiaries unable to access their funds through ATMs, post offices, or retailers. Postbank serves as the distributor of grants on behalf of the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa).
Adding to the turmoil, five board members submitted their resignations in the wake of these technical issues.
Government Commitment to Grant Payments
Speaking at a media briefing in Pretoria, Minister Gungubele made it clear that the internal changes at Postbank would not disrupt the disbursement of grant payments.
“We wish to assure social grant beneficiaries and the nation that the changes in the Postbank board will not have an impact on any of our operations or the capacity of Postbank,” stated Gungubele.
He further informed that Postbank had rectified the accounts of all Sassa grant beneficiaries affected by the glitch. Gungubele emphasized that these issues would not hinder grant payments in the upcoming month.
“We will commence the October payments in less than two weeks. We have initiated preparations to ensure that we do not encounter the challenges experienced this month. Our officials will continue their engagements to guarantee timely payments next month.”
Board Resignations and Accusations
In a letter addressed to Minister Gungubele, the departing board members expressed their dissatisfaction, accusing him of adopting an “oppressive and hostile” stance. They cited recent events and their strained relationship with the minister as the reasons for their immediate resignations.
The letter stated, “No self-respecting board can perform any meaningful work with the level of interference, undue pressure, and influence that we’ve had. This obviously has deeply disturbed us.”
Conclusion
The government remains steadfast in its commitment to ensuring the uninterrupted flow of social grant payments, despite the internal turmoil within Postbank. Minister Gungubele’s assurances provide much-needed confidence to those relying on these essential funds.