Talking to a person is still the surest way to get a straight answer about an older persons, disability or child grant, and it is the fallback when the SRD website won’t co-operate. SASSA has one national call centre for grant enquiries, and it also contacts you by SMS at key moments. This page covers both: making the call count, and knowing which text messages are genuinely from SASSA.
The number and when to call
The SASSA call centre is 0800 60 10 11, open Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 16:00, according to SASSA’s 2026 booklet. On SASSA’s services portal the line is described as toll-free from landlines, with a caution that mobile network operators may bill you for the call. The portal says agents handle payment dates, eligibility, office locations, application status and fraud reports.
We could not confirm the current voice-menu options, so listen to the recorded prompts and choose the one for grant or SRD enquiries.
What to have next to you
- The grant holder’s ID number, and the child’s ID or birth certificate number for a child grant.
- For the SRD grant: the cellphone number you applied with and, if you have it, your 6-digit SRD application ID.
- For a new application: the date and office where you applied, and any receipt the office gave you.
- A pen, to write down the agent’s name, the date and any reference number.
An agent may ask questions to confirm who you are. Never give your bank card PIN, because SASSA does not ask for it.
Texts SASSA sends, and what they mean
SASSA doesn’t offer a number you can text to get your status back. It does send messages to the number on your record, mostly for the SRD grant:
- A one-time PIN when you check status or update details on srd.sassa.gov.za. It confirms you hold the phone; enter it only on that site.
- A facial verification link when SASSA needs to match a selfie to your Home Affairs photo, for example when a status shows referred or approved but unpaid. SASSA says the link usually arrives within a day or two and stays valid for about three days.
- A PIN to a new number after you ask to change the cellphone number on your SRD record.
- Notices about a grant review or e-Life certification for other grants, where SASSA has singled you out to complete a step by a deadline.
A genuine SASSA message never asks you to reply with your PIN or bank details, and SASSA services carry no fee. If a text asks for either, treat it as a scam; the SRD status check guide shows how to confirm what is real.
When the texts stop
If messages stop arriving, the usual cause is a SIM that has been lost, swapped or recycled, or a number that no longer matches SASSA’s record. Updating an SRD number triggers facial verification; you can also ask the call centre or an office for help.
Prefer to chat instead of calling? Our SASSA WhatsApp page covers the official number. For a feature phone, the USSD code explainer sets out what is and isn’t confirmed, and how to check SASSA status compares every route.