SASSA is no longer allowing people to change their phone number on their website due to a number of reasons, including: •To prevent fraud and abuse. SASSA has seen an increase in fraudulent applications for the SRD grant, and changing the phone number can be a way for fraudsters to circumvent security measures. •To improve efficiency. SASSA is processing millions of SRD applications, and allowing people to change their phone number would add to the workload and make it more difficult to process applications quickly. •To ensure that beneficiaries receive important information. SASSA uses the registered phone number to communicate with beneficiaries about their applications, payments, and other important information. If the phone number is changed, beneficiaries may miss out on important information. If you need to change your phone number, you can do so by submitting an appeal on the SASSA website. You will need to provide your ID number, the old phone number, and the new ph
The COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD) Grant – also known as the R350 grant – is expected to be extended to the end of March 2024. This as government continues to consider options for a replacement for the grant with no decision taken yet on how the replacement will be financed. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced the extension of the grant during his presentation of the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement in Parliament on Wednesday afternoon. “The SRD grant was introduced in May 2020 as a temporary measure to respond to the needs of the most vulnerable, who were affected by [COVID-19 induced] lockdown measures. It has been extended several times since then. Discussions on the future of the grant are ongoing and involve very difficult trade-offs and financing decisions,” he said. As a result of the extension of the SRD grants, other social grants – such as old age grants and disability grants – will increase lower than inflation. According to Treasury, the SRD grant is ex