My R350 SASSA grant was approved last year but I haven't received any payments. Please help!

The long answer

That is very bad indeed. Usually, a delay in getting payment would be due to not being given payment dates by SASSA, but if you’ve had payment dates since last year and still have not received your payment, there is something very wrong.

SASSA says that if your payment has been delayed, 

1. you must contact SASSA directly by using their toll-free line at 0800 60 10 11. 

2. you can also email them at srd@sassa.gov.za.

3. Verify that your banking details are correct and updated in the SASSA database  

A GroundUp article in June 2024 by Marecia Damons said that SASSA had introduced a new beneficiary verification process which had delayed payment to many beneficiaries. SASSA says it is to combat fraud.

Now, says Damons, grant beneficiaries who want to change their mobile number or who have been identified by SASSA as needing verification, are expected to contact SASSA to request identity verification. They will be sent an SMS link to an internet page. They are then expected to take a photo of their face and send it back. They will then be notified if the process was successful or not.

For beneficiaries who don’t have smartphones which can take photos or who don’t have access to the internet, this can be a problem. The SASSA spokesman said that if beneficiaries did not complete the verification process, “their grants will remain suspended.”

SASSA has also now said that anyone who wants to change or update their contact or banking details must also undergo biometric verification.

So, if you borrowed a phone or phone number to apply for the grant, you would have to have access to the phone you borrowed to receive the SMS link. You would also have to have a phone number of your own to complete the verification process and be traceable.

If contacting SASSA does not fix your problem, 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.

Wishing you the best,
Athalie