Staff Reporter
NAMPOST has said that long queues experienced during the social grant payment period of January were due to beneficiaries accessing payments outside the approved schedule and that it would introduce stricter controls to restore order.
Joseph Teofelus, public relations officer at NamPost, said that over 37,000 social grant recipients were paid on day 1, compared to the expected 28,000.
“To address this, the Ministry of Finance and NamPost have agreed to introduce stricter controls on in-branch social cash grant payments. With effect from Thursday, 15 January 2026, in-branch payments will be limited strictly to the grant categories scheduled for specific payment days. The measure aims to enforce compliance with the in-branch payment programme, support orderly service delivery, and enable NamPost to manage customer volumes at post offices,” Teofelus said.
He added that NamPost will also deploy additional mobile payment teams at selected larger branches to assist with payouts and ease congestion.
“Branches are being capacitated with additional staff to improve turnaround times and reduce waiting periods. Government and NamPost again appeal to all beneficiaries and members of the public to adhere strictly to the published in-branch payment programme and to await mobile payment teams at designated pay points. Travelling long distances to post offices outside scheduled dates contributes to overcrowding and disrupts the efficiency of the payment process,” Teofelus said.
He announced that, in accordance with the remaining in-branch payment programme for the January 2026 payment cycle, Old Age and Disability Cash Grants will be dispersed from 12 to 14 January 2026, Child Cash Grants from 15 to 17 January 2026, and Basic Income Cash Grants from 19 to 20 January 2026.
“Beneficiaries who miss their scheduled payment dates will still be able to collect their grants one week later, from 20 to 25 January 2026. NamPost will strengthen coordination with regional authorities to improve efficiency and ensure smoother payment processes across all regions,” Teofelus concluded.
Photo: Africa-Press
