Postbank is urging nearly 11 000 social grant beneficiaries in the Western Cape who have yet to switch from SASSA Gold Cards to the new Postbank Black Card to make the change as soon as possible.

Almost 90% of those still needing to migrate are child grant beneficiaries.

The call comes after the 31 August deadline for the replacement of SASSA Gold Cards. The old Gold Cards are no longer operational, meaning beneficiaries who have not yet collected their Black Cards may be unable to access their grant money.

The September grant payment cycle began this week, with child grants due to be paid on Friday, 4 September.

Postbank says the grants will still be paid into beneficiaries’ accounts, but those who have not migrated will need to obtain a Black Card to access their money.

Postbank spokesperson Bongani Diako says the card-switching process is running smoothly at selected retail outlets, with queues moving quickly.

“Things are going smoothly and nothing unusual is reported for payday. Sites are still assisting beneficiaries to switch, and we are not necessarily experiencing long queues today, 2 September.”

The bank says replacement sites remain available after the deadline to assist beneficiaries who have not yet made the switch.

Nationally, approximately 64 000 beneficiaries are still required to switch to the Postbank Black cards.

The migration is free, and beneficiaries only need to present a valid South African ID or temporary ID. No forms are required, and the new Black Card can be used immediately once issued.

Beneficiaries can also locate their nearest card replacement site by dialling 120355# from any cellphone.