The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) receives millions of applications for the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant. After evaluating applications, Sassa encourages applicants to conduct a Sassa status check to see if their grant application has been approved.
Some R370 grant recipients may be required to conduct a facial recognition check. This article explains why facial recognition is required and what a "referred" Sassa status means.
Why is Facial Recognition Required?
Facial recognition is required for identity verification in two instances:
- Referred Status: If your R370 grant application has been flagged for review (referred), you will need to use facial recognition to verify your identity.
- Updating Mobile Number: When updating your mobile number associated with the grant, facial recognition may be required.
What Does "Referred" Sassa Status Mean?
A "referred" Sassa status means your grant application has been flagged for further review. There are a few reasons why this might happen:
- Incomplete Application: There might be missing documents or errors in the information you provided during application.
- Data Discrepancies: Sassa compares application details with other government departments. If there's a mismatch in information, they might need clarification.
- Random Selection: Sassa may randomly select applications for additional checks to ensure the integrity of their verification processes.
Common Reasons to Change Mobile Number
R370 grant beneficiaries may need to change their mobile number for several reasons:
- Lost or Stolen Phone: If you lose your phone or it gets stolen, you'll need to update the mobile number associated with the grant to ensure secure communication and receive important updates from Sassa.
- Changed Phone Number: You may have switched phone numbers and want to update your contact information with Sassa to receive grant notifications on the new number.
- Incorrect Number Entered: In some cases, beneficiaries might have accidentally entered an incorrect phone number during application.
The Facial Recognition Process
If facial recognition is required, you will receive two SMS messages from Sassa. The second SMS will contain a link for verification. Clicking the link will initiate the facial recognition process.
The verification link is only valid for 72 hours (3 days). If you encounter issues receiving the SMS or the link expires, contact the Sassa call centre at 0800 60 1011.
Alternatively, you can email [email protected] to request the SMS to be re-sent.
