The South African Post Office (Sapo) says it will continue rolling out cashless ATMs across the country to assist the Social Security Agency (Sassa) in grant payments.
The Post Office on Monday unveiled its first cashless ATM to pay social grants in Tlhabane near Rustenburg in the North West and is aimed at easing congestion and promoting social distancing during social grant payments.
The cashless ATM will serve as an additional social grants payment platform located within the communities.
Customers will be able to use the cashless ATMs to purchase pre-paid electricity, airtime as well as pay municipal and other bills.
Sapo Board Chairperson Colleen Makhubele says the device can be used by any store.
Makhubele says, “It is mobile, a small device like a point of sale device, that can be deployed to any store – be it a spaza shop or general dealer. So when a Sassa card carrying member comes with their card, they can present that card, they swipe it to check the balance and they can also decide whether they want to withdraw money or they want to buy goods with the cashless ATM.”
Sapo launches of new cashless ATMs in Northwest
North West is the second Province to benefit from this cashless ATM after the KwaZulu Natal Province.
According to Sapo, the introduction of cashless ATMs will reduce queues at current payment points for social grants in Post Office branches, retail merchants and bank ATMs.
It will also increase points where Sassa grants can be accessed, and will also increase local economic activity, as Sassa beneficiaries will be spending their grant money with merchants within their localities and will no longer have to travel distances to reach grants payment access points.
More cashless ATMs are expected to be launched across the province as Sassa and Sapo are envisaging more than nineteen cashless ATMs and are installed at identified registered shops.
The beneficiaries use their Sassa card pin numbers to check their balances, buy their goods, and get change where applicable from the shop, in which the ATM has been installed.
Only older people and the disabled will be paid their social grants today and on Tuesday 05 May so that we avoid the crowding at stores #staysafe #StayAtHomeSA #day39oflockdown @GovernmentZA @The_DSD pic.twitter.com/2K5r8R0Sfb
— SASSA (@OfficialSASSA) May 4, 2020
