Before the end of the first quarter of the year, South Africans will be required to avoid missing the 31 March 2025 deadline for different reasons.
The start of 2025 has brought numerous changes and some might see millions of South Africans no longer receiving much-needed grants. Here are five things you need to know before the end of March.
POSTBANK BLACK CARD SWITCH DEADLINE
One of the deadlines that have been set for 31 March 2025 is the switch to Postbank Black Cards. Postbank announced at the start of the year that all SASSA grant beneficiaries need to collect the Black Card.
Postbank Spokesperson Bongani Diako said that grant recipients should ensure they collect their new cards before the deadline. This is to ensure they don’t experience any hassles when trying to receive payments.
SIGNING UP FOR CACH SERVICE FOR MATRICS BEFORE 31 MARCH 2025
Matrics who were unable to secure a place at tertiary institutions they applied to can sign up for Central Application Clearing House (CACH). Signing up on this government service started on 20 January 2025 and will end on 31 March 2025.
The information of those matrics who applied at tertiaries using the Central Application System (CAS) and didn’t get offers will be automatically loaded on the CACH system. The CACH system can be accessed by universities and colleges with open spaces looking for qualifying students.
DIGITAL MIGRATION DEADLINE SET FOR MARCH
The new deadline to switch to digital television has also been set for 31 March 2025 after it had been extended numerous times. Minister of Communications Solly Malatsi recently shared an update. He revealed that over 400 000 beneficiaries have registered for the free, government-subsidised TV decoder.
TEMPORARY CONCESSION FOR VISA APPLICATIONS EXTENDED
The Department of Home Affairs extended the temporary concession for certain visa and waiver applications to 31 March 2025. Their directive stated that long-term visa applications, appeal and waiver applications still pending as on November 2024, are extended automatically until the end of March.
With pending visa applications, appeals and waiver applications, applicants abandoning their visa applications may leave by the deadline without being declared undesirable.
Those awaiting outcomes won’t be declared undesirable if they travel in and out of the country within this time. A port of entry visa for re-entry is required by non-visa exempt applicants.
Short-term visa holders with visas valid for 90 days or less since 1 October 2024 have a blanket 90-day extension until end of March this year. The total stay shouldn’t be longer than 180 days. Those with visas can leave and re-enter without being declared undesirable.
POSSIBLE END TO SASSA SRD GRANT BY 31 MARCH 2025
Also, SASSA SRD grant beneficiaries could receive their final payments at the end of March this year. This will only be confirmed next month by Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana.
The recipients are set to receive their January payments from Saturday the 25th. This will continue until the following week on Friday, 31 January 2025.
DO ANY OF THESE FIVE DEADLINES AFFECT YOU?
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