Around 15 million people applied for the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant. To apply for the grant you need a valid mobile cell phone number.
The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) introduced several verification measures to ensure that people who receive the R350 grant are deserving of the money.
To apply for the R350 grant, you need to have a cellphone with a valid RICAed cell phone number
Sassa says that the pins needed when drawing your SRD grant are sent to the cell phone number during the application process. This makes it crucial for your number to be valid and RICAed to receive your money.
Not having a cellphone number or not having access to the mobile number you used when applying for the R350 grant could prevent you from receiving your money.
Sassa has advised grant applicants to either update their cellphone number on the SRD website or try and get a sim swap if they have lost access to their mobile number. The good news is that if you need to you can updated our cell phone number online if you need to. Your Sassa SRD phone number will be the cell phone number that you use when you register on the Sassa website and will be linked to your Sassa grant status.
Sassa have said, “Kindly try to sim swap or update your contact number on the SRD website and request a resend of the SMS notifications”.
Sassa also sends an SMS to R350 grant recipients informing them when they can collect their SRD grant at the Post Office
How to update your mobile number/contact details for SASSA using a step-by-step guide
Here is how to update your mobile number/contact details:
- Visit the SRD website
- Click on the yellow bar.
- Enter your ID number and Application ID.
- Select “Submit”.
- Fill in your email address, if available.
- Enter your new cellphone number.
- Click “Submit”.
- Choose the reason for changing the phone number
- Fill in the OTP sent via SMS
- Select “Submit”
Once your application has been processed and approved, SASSA will use your contact details to inform you where and when you can collect your grant money.
How to locate your application ID
Please remember that your application ID is different to your South African ID number.
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Visit the SRD website
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Click on the yellow bar.
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Fill in your ID number and the cell phone number used when you applied for the grant. Make sure that your contact details are correct, especially your South African ID number, your cellphone number, and the SRD phone number attached to your application ID.
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Select “Submit”.
Once you have selected the “Submit” button, your application ID will appear in the first line.
Why are up-to-date contact details important?
Up-to-date contact details are incredibly important as it is how SASSA will communicate with you and how the agency knows where to deposit your grant money.
Providing contact details that are someone else's or that are no longer in service may cause delays in your application successfully being processed, and you may miss out on major updates about your application status or grant collection details.
Information such as the correct contact name, phone number and banking details all need to be provided alongside your SRD grant application.
The payment dates for the Sassa grant will be communicated by Sassa and you can keep a note for future reference. The Sassa SRD grant is different to the other SASSA grants and doesn't have a specific pay date.
If you change the sim card in your phone this will normally mean that you are changing the number of your cell phone. Unless you are doing a swap with the previous sim card you will need to update SASSA on your details so that you will still be able to get the OTP code from them. If the OTP code is going to your old cellphone number you won't be able to make changes on your Sassa account. You can do this update on the Sassa portal. You must also make sure that your cellphone (and specifically sim card) have undergone the rica process.
You can change your SRD phone on the Sassa portal but you can't do that without an application ID, even when you get a new phone number. So make sure you have all the relevant details so that you can update your contact details with the South African Social security Agency when you need to change your SRD registered cellphone number from the old number to the new cellphone number.
How To Get Your Sassa One Time Pin (OTP)
If you're busy submitting your Sassa R350 grant application, at some point, a One Time Pin (OTP) will be mentioned. This pin is needed to complete your application.
Once you've started your Special Relief of Distress (SRD) grant application on WhatsApp and you've completed the step where you submit your personal details, you will then be sent a reference number, an OTP and a website link to click on.
Here you would have to click on the link and enter the OTP to verify your application. But what happens if you can't find or access your OTP?
Here's how to retrieve your OTP on WhatsApp to access your form:
- Add 082 046 8553 on WhatsApp
- Send a message saying 'hi' to this number
- Once you receive a response, reply with 'help'
- Then reply with '4'
- You will then be given a bunch of options and to this you reply with 'SASSA OTP'
- You will then be asked to enter your reference number that you were given
- Enter the number
- Follow the prompts and you will then retrieve your OTP
OTPs are usually used to verify information linking you to your SRD grant application.
Once you've retrieved your OTP, you would then enter it where it was asked and you can then continue with your Sassa application.
SASSA also works to ensure that its beneficiaries receive their grants in a timely and efficient manner. This involves managing a large database of beneficiaries, coordinating with banks and other financial institutions and conducting outreach programmes to ensure that those in need are aware of the services available to them.
Overall, SASSA plays an important role in helping to reduce poverty and inequality in South Africa by providing financial assistance to those who need it most.
Why A Smartphone Is Not Necessary To Access Your SRD Grant
While it remains essential that all qualifying beneficiaries of Sassa’s Social Relief of Distress grant receive their grant payment, accessibility to its withdrawal methods is just as crucial.
However, since the application process is completely online, applicants might be under the impression that a smartphone is needed to access their SRD grant payment.
SRD grant beneficiaries can receive their grant payout by Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) without owning a smartphone, according to Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu.
Beneficiaries can access their EFT grant payments in one of three ways, according to the department.
The first is that Sassa makes the EFT grant payment to your preferred bank account. Beneficiaries who have been paid using this procedure may collect their money from participating businesses, ATMs, or bank branches. R350 grant recipients can also make purchases straight from participating merchants using their bank cards.
The second EFT option made available to this cohort of Sassa social grant beneficiaries is one in which Sassa deposits the grant payout into their Post Bank account. This is provided that the recipient does not have a bank account.
This category of R350 grant recipients must have a mobile phone of any kind that can receive USSD messages including a one-time pin to use this service.
Beneficiaries are also encouraged to apply for their 350 grant using the same mobile number they used to register. Recipients will still have their funds at approved merchants such as Pick n Pay, Boxer, Shoprite, Usave or Spar.
The third option available for R350 grant recipients to access their grant payout is the Mobile money or cash send. An SMS containing a voucher number for the recipient to collect the funds at the bank of their choice will be sent to them.
Any type of mobile phone that can receive an SMS is required for this process.
Frequently asked questions about the SRD Grant
1. Can I apply for the SRD Grant if I am employed part-time?
- No, the SRD Grant is specifically for individuals who are unemployed and not receiving any other form of income or social grant.
2. Can I receive the SRD Grant if I am a student?
- No, the SRD Grant is not available to students who are receiving financial aid or a bursary. You will see this confirmed on the Sassa SRD website.
3. How long does it take to receive a response after submitting an application?
- The review process can take some time, and it may vary depending on the number of applications received. It's important to check for updates regularly and be patient. Make sure you have used your correct ID number and correct phone number.
4. Can I reapply for the SRD Grant if my application was rejected?
- Yes, you can reapply if your initial application was rejected. However, it's important to review the reasons for rejection and address any issues before submitting a new application.