September 2026 SASSA payment dates
The September 2026 South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) payment schedule has started, with the first grant payments rolling out as planned.
September’s grant payments started today, Wednesday, September 2, with Older Persons Grants.
Disability Grants follow on Thursday, September 3, while Children’s Grants — including Child Support, Foster Child and Care Dependency Grants — are scheduled for Friday, September 4.
The SRD Grant will follow with staggered payment dates later in September.
Beneficiaries can check the full September SASSA payment schedule covering all eight official grant categories.
SASSA uses staggered payment dates to help manage the distribution of grants and reduce congestion at payment points.
Fourth SASSA payment date added
SASSA has also introduced a fourth payment day on Monday, September 7.
This is not an additional general payment day. It is reserved for beneficiaries whose grants are under review or require eLife Certification.
SASSA National Spokesperson Dr Paseka Letsatsi previously explained the purpose of the additional payment day, saying:
“Beneficiaries who still needed to have their social grants reviewed or undergo eLife Certification were paid on July 7, which is what we refer to as the fourth payment day.”
Beneficiaries affected by a review should visit their nearest SASSA office and complete the required process. Failure to comply could result in a grant being suspended in a future payment cycle.
Gold Cards stop working as deadline passes
The SASSA Gold Card migration deadline passed on Monday, August 31, with the old cards no longer usable from the September payment cycle.
Postbank said beneficiaries who missed the deadline would not be able to access their grant payments during the affected period until they completed the migration.
The grant money itself continues to be paid into their accounts.
Postbank Chief Commercial Officer Thami Cele urged outstanding beneficiaries to act.
“We therefore make a special appeal to all beneficiaries who have not yet migrated to act immediately and complete the process.”
About 1.8 million beneficiaries had switched to the new Postbank Black Card, while around 70,000 Gold Card holders were still outstanding before the deadline.
Cele also confirmed there would be no further extension.
In KwaZulu-Natal, more than 20,000 SASSA beneficiaries had yet to migrate to the Postbank Black new cards, with eThekwini accounting for the largest group.
Concerns have also emerged over Child Support Grant recipients yet to switch from Gold Cards, particularly households that could struggle to collect their payments.
What happens after the Gold Card deadline?
Missing the deadline does not cancel a beneficiary’s grant. SASSA will still deposit the grant into the beneficiary’s account, but the funds cannot be accessed using an expired Gold Card until the migration is completed.
Beneficiaries who have not migrated should visit their nearest Postbank card replacement site as soon as possible.
The replacement is free, with new cards available at designated retailers including Shoprite, Checkers, Usave, Pick n Pay, Boxer and Spar.
To find an active replacement site, beneficiaries can dial *120*355# from any cellphone. They should bring a valid South African ID or temporary ID when completing the migration.
Read what happens after the Gold Card deadline.
September 2026 SASSA grant amounts
- Older Persons, Disability and Care Dependency Grants: R2,400
- War Veterans Grant: R2,420
- Foster Child Grant: R1,290
- Child Support Grant and Grant-in-Aid: R580
Also read: The Africa National Congress’ (ANC) ambiguous proimise on free basic services for grant beneficiaries
For grant queries, beneficiaries can contact SASSA on 0800 60 10 11 or email grantenquiries@sassa.gov.za.
