Update Contact Details With Sassa - How To Change Your Contact Details For The R350 Grant

Sassa Update Contact Details

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) provides eight social grants that citizens can apply for, if they are need of financial and social support from the South African government. 

All eight of these social grants require applicants to provide their contact details when submitting an application. Part of these contact details is a working and current phone number.

If your phone number or other contact details has changed for any reason, you will need to update SASSA on these changes, so that you and the Agency can remain in contact. Here is how you can inform SASSA about your new and/or updated contact details.

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. 

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:

1. Visit the SRD website
2. Click on the yellow bar.
3. Enter your ID number and Application ID.
4. Select “Submit”.
5. Fill in your email address, if available.
6. Enter your new cellphone number.
7. Click “Submit”.
8. Choose the reason for changing the phone number
9. Fill in the OTP sent via SMS
10. 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 Are Sassa R350 Grant Payments Made?

Several retail merchants have partnered with SASSA to pay grants to beneficiaries around the country. The large footprint of retail outlets means that grant beneficiaries can likely collect their grant payments close to where they stay. 

There are approximately 8 million SRD grant beneficiaries in South Africa. These beneficiaries can collect their SRD grant at a Pick n Pay, Boxer, Shoprite, Checkers, Usave and Spar store. 

Who is SASSA? 

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) is a government agency that is responsible for the administration and distribution of social grants to eligible individuals and families in need.

SASSA's primary mandate is to provide social grants to vulnerable and disadvantaged South Africans, who meet the eligibility criteria set out by the Agency.

There are currently eight social grants that citizens can apply for. These include old age pensions, disability grants, child support grants, foster care grants, war veterans grant, care dependency grant, and the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant. 

What exactly is the Sassa Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant? 

The SRD grant, also commonly known as the R350 grant, was implemented as part of the South African government's relief measures to assist individuals and households who were financially affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The SRD grant provides a monthly payment of R350 to eligible applicants who do not receive any other form of income or social grants.

Its initial aim was to provide temporary relief to those who lost their livelihoods or faced financial hardship due to the pandemic and the resulting lockdown measures, but due to the high number of individuals who rely on the R350 grant to meet their basic needs, SASSA has extended this grant multiple times.

How to apply for the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant using a step-by-step guide

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to apply for the SRD grant and become a beneficiary of SASSA: 

1. Visit the SRD grant website
2. Click on 'click here to apply on online'
3. Enter you mobile phone number and click 'send SMS'
4. A One Time Pin (OTP) will be sent to the number you provided
5. Enter the OTP
6. Confirm and accept the Clauses in the Declaration and Consent documents
7. Enter your personal details
8. Provide your mobile number, employment information and lifestyle sustainability information
9. Provide your banking details
10. Follow the prompts to complete your application

Alternatively you can also apply for the Sassa grant through Whatsapp.

How to apply for the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant on WhatsApp

1. Add SASSA on WhatsApp using this number: 082 046 8553
2. Send a message to the number - Careers Portal simply sent "SRD Grant"
3. Indicate if you applying for yourself (sending the number 1) or on behalf of someone else (sending the number 2)
4. Send a message with your name how it appears on your Identify document
5. Send a message with your surname how it appears on your Identify document
6. Read the terms and conditions. Once you have, respond YES if you accept the terms and conditions.
7. Indicate whether you are a South African citizen (send the number 1) or a Permanent Resident (send the number 2) or a Refugee (send the number 3)
8. Click on the link sent to you in the WhatsApp chat
9. Confirm and accept the Clauses in the Declaration and Consent documents
10. Enter your ID number
11.  Follow the prompts to complete your R350 grant application.

It is also worth noting that your application could possibly be rejected. If this happens and you feel it is for an unjustified reason, you can submit an application appeal also known as an application for reconsideration.

SASSA recommends that you do this as soon as you receive feedback on your application to avoid any possible delays.

How To Track Your Sassa SRD Grant Application

How To Check Your Status Online

1. Visit the Sassa SRD grant website.
2. Scroll down to 'Application status'. 
3. Select 'Click here to check online'.
4. Fill in the required fields.
5. You should then be able to see the status of your R350 grant application.

How To Track Your R350 Grant Application Status On Your  Phone

1. Call 0800 60 10 11.
2. Follow the prompts.

How To Track Your R350 Grant Application Status On WhatsApp

1. Add 082 046 8553 to your phone.
2. Send a message to that number. 
3. Follow the instructions. 

What are the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant eligibility requirements applicants should meet? 

• Be unemployed
• Be a South African citizen, permanent resident, refugee, holders of a special permit under the Special Angolan Dispensation, the Lesotho Exemption Permit Dispensation; Zimbabwe Exemption Permit Dispensation; or Asylum seekers with a valid section 22 permit or visa
• Be between 18 and 59 years old
• Live within the borders of South Africa
• Be registered on the Home Affairs database or Sassa's social grant database for individuals without ID documents
• Not live in a government Institution or subsidised institution
• Not receiving Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) benefits or National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) support or any other social grants distributed by Sassa
• Student debtors can qualify as long as they aren't currently receiving NSFAS

What if I don't meet the eligibility criteria?

If you don't meet the eligibility criteria, you will most likely be rejected. However, it is also important to note that your application could possibly be rejected.

If this happens and you feel it is for an unjustified reason. You can submit an application appeal also known as an application for reconsideration.

How To Submit An SRD Appeal

1. Visit srd.dsd.gov.za
2. Click on the green bar that says 'click here to lodge an appeal or check appeal status'
3. Enter your ID number
4. Enter your cellphone number
5. Click 'send pin' and wait for the SMS which will contain the verification pin
6. Enter the pin and click 'submit'
7. Select the month you are submitting an appeal for
8. Select the drop down arrow and choose the reason for your appeal 
9. Click 'submit'

How To Track Your SRD Grant Appeal

It is important to check your appeal status regularly to make sure that your appeal has not been lost. You must do the following to check your appeal status: 

1. Visit the Sassa appeals website.
2. Enter your ID number
3. Enter your contact details 
4. Track your R350 grant appeal

If you are having difficulties with checking your appeal status then you can contact the Sassa call centre on 0800 601 011. 

It is important to ensure that you have provided the correct contact details as Sassa will contact you via SMS to inform you of the outcome of your appeal. 

SASSA Contact Details

Beneficiaries and applicants who wish to change the contact details and phone number they provided to SASSA can also call the Sassa toll-free call centre using this telephone number, 0800 60 10 11, and request that your contact details be changed. You will then need to follow the prompts.

Clients can also contact SASSA should they have any other queries or require assistance, even if it isn't related to your contact details. You can also send an email to [email protected] or visit the SASSA website or SRD website.

It's important to provide the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) with functioning and relevant contact details. SRD applicants are regularly urged to update their SASSA contact details. 

Remember to update your contact details on SASSA's website as soon as possible, as the wrong contact details may prevent you from receiving your money.