Will SASSA back pay the grant money I was supposed to get if I lost my application number after I was approved?

The long answer

SASSA does not explain how you can get the back pay when you have been approved for a grant but have not received payment, or what the amount of back pay is that you can get.  

But perhaps the place to start is with the application number or application ID that you lost in 2022:

SASSA says that if you have lost or forgotten your application ID, you can find it by: 

1. Going to the SASSA SRD website (http://srd.sassa.gov.za)

2. Entering your ID number and the phone number you used when you applied

3. Logging in to the portal

4. Looking for your application ID at the top of the first window

If you cannot remember the phone number you used when you applied, SASSA says you can also get your SASSA application ID by visiting a SASSA office.

You can also contact SASSA in the following ways:

• Phone the toll-free helpline at 0800 601 011 

• You can send a WhatsApp message to 0600 123 456 and select SASSA

• You can email SASSA at grantenquiries@sassa.gov.za

If you want to check your status, SASSA says that the easiest and quickest method is to check online in the following way:

• Go to the official website of SRD (https://srd.sassa.gov.za).

• If you are a South African ID holder, click on the relevant button on the bottom of the webpage.

• Click on the yellow button under the “Application status” heading.

• Fill out the information asked for on the page: you have to provide your identity card number and your mobile number for a SASSA status check. The phone number and ID number must be the same ones you used when applying for the grant.

• As soon as you click on check status, after filling in the columns, you will see the response from the grant application.

NB: Be careful of fake websites that say they can get you information about your SASSA grant. Official government websites always have URLs that say “.gov.za”. SASSA has already found two fake websites that steal personal information – do not use them: 

• srd-sassa.org.za

• srdsassagov.co.za

Never share your ID or banking details on unverified sites.

SASSA says you can go to the SASSA SRD contact update page in the following way:

“Login to the SASSA Services and click on the Manage My Personal Information button. A form will be displayed with the current information. You can update your personal information and then click save. A One-Time-Pin (OTP) will be sent to the provided cell phone number to confirm the update.”

The problem is that the SASSA system is often offline as they are “enhancing” or repairing it. That means that you can’t access online services like the SASSA status check, or update contact details when the SASSA system is down.

But there has been an encouraging court case which you may have heard of. The Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) took SASSA to court in late 2024 about the problems of non-payment and late payment of approved beneficiaries. The court was told that 10 to 15% of beneficiaries who had been approved did not get their payments on time.

On 23 January 2025, Judge Twala ordered SASSA to investigate the widespread delays and come up with a plan, within four months, to put this right and implement the plan without delay. 

The judge also said that it was “irrational” for SASSA not to allow applications at SASSA offices and only allow online applications. He ordered SASSA to amend the regulations to allow people to apply in person at the SASSA offices. 

If you are not able to get your application number through contacting SASSA, you could contact the Black Sash for assistance. It is an organisation that has had a lot of experience with SASSA and has been very active in the campaign to get the SASSA grants paid out as they should be. The Black Sash gives free paralegal advice.

These are their contact details:

Email: help@blacksash.org.za

Helpline: 072 66 33 73, 072 633 3739 or 063 610 1865.

You can also contact #PayTheGrants, which also has experience helping beneficiaries deal with SASSA. These are their contact details:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/paythegrants/

Email: paythegrants@gmail.com

Wishing you the best,
Athalie