The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) has changed the dates of grant payments to ensure physical distancing and alleviate health challenges during the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

From May, disability and older persons grants will be paid from the fourth of the month. All other grants will be paid from the sixth of every month.

Sassa’s decision to modify the payment dates follows an incident during its April grant payment, where child support grant beneficiaries descended on payment channels as early as 30 March.

The social security agency added that this posed all sorts of health challenges, which also made it difficult for some stores and ATMs to maintain physical distancing.

Sassa announced last month that it would be paying grants earlier than usual to curb the spread of Covid-19. It explained that this decision was in response to the State of National Disaster as announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa on March 15.

Sassa CEO Busisiwe Memela said in response to this “unpleasant experience”, the social security agency started consulting various role-players – the National Treasury, the South African Post Office, the Banking Association of South Africa, retailers and consumer goods council – which found that people with disabilities and the aged needed to be protected from the month end rush at payment outlets.

The agency added that the payment needed to be staggered in such a way that these categories of beneficiaries received their grants before others.

“Some older persons use one card to also receive child support and foster child grants. In such cases they will be able to access all linked grants from the fourth of every month,” Memela said.

She pleaded with beneficiaries not to rush to withdraw cash on the first day of payment.

“Once the money is in the account, it will remain there until it is needed. Money deposited into your account is safe and will not be taken back if not used. There is no need to rush to withdraw cash on the first day. The Sassa card can be used as a debit card to pay for purchases, therefore it is not necessary to withdraw cash and thereafter purchase goods with the cash,” Memela concluded.