How to Change Your SASSA Phone Number for the SRD Grant

August 24, 2026

If the cellphone number connected to your SASSA SRD grant is lost, inactive or incorrect, you can request a number change through the official SASSA SRD website. SASSA may ask you to confirm your identity before linking the new number to your application.

Use a cellphone number that belongs to you and that can receive SMS messages. SASSA uses this number to send One-Time PINs, application updates and payment-related notifications.

Quick answer: Visit the official SASSA mobile-number update page, enter your 13-digit South African ID number, select why you need to change the number and complete the identity-verification instructions shown on the screen.

Last reviewed: 24 August 2026
Important: This website is an independent information service and is not SASSA or a South African government website.

Official SASSA Phone Number Update Links

SASSA currently provides two relevant online routes:

Update option	Information normally required	Official page
Mobile Number Update	13-digit South African ID number and identity verification	Mobile Number Update
Older Contact Details Route	13-digit ID number and 6-digit Application ID	Update Contact Details
Report an Unauthorised Change	South African ID number and security verification	Report Unauthorised Change

Only enter your personal information on a website ending in sassa.gov.za. Do not submit your ID number or OTP to an unofficial website, WhatsApp contact or social-media account.

What You Need Before Changing Your Number

Prepare the following information before opening the update form:

Your 13-digit South African ID number
The new cellphone number you want to register
A working SIM that can receive an OTP by SMS
Your six-digit Application ID if you use the older contact-details route
Access to a phone with a camera if SASSA requests facial or biometric verification
Information about your current payment method if requested

Your new cellphone number should preferably be registered in your own name. Using another person’s number may cause security, communication or payment-verification problems.

How to Change Your SASSA Phone Number Online

Follow these steps to submit a phone-number change:

Open the official SASSA SRD Mobile Number Update page.
Select the option for a South African ID holder if the portal asks you to choose an identification type.
Enter your 13-digit South African ID number carefully.
Select the reason you want to update your cellphone number. For example, you may have lost your phone, entered the wrong number or obtained a new number.
Complete the security or identity-verification questions displayed by SASSA.
If requested, complete the facial-verification process using a phone with a working camera.
Enter your new 10-digit South African cellphone number.
Wait for an OTP to be delivered to the new number.
Enter the OTP on the official SASSA page and submit the request.
Save or screenshot the confirmation message for your records.

The questions displayed on the portal can differ depending on your application and the type of verification required. Follow the instructions provided on the official page instead of relying on screenshots from old online guides.

Can You Change Your SASSA Number Without an Application ID?

Yes, the newer SASSA mobile-number update page begins by requesting your 13-digit South African ID number. It may allow you to proceed through additional identity checks without first asking for the six-digit Application ID.

Use this official page:

https://srd.sassa.gov.za/sc19/mobile-number-update

The older SASSA contact-details page works differently. It normally asks for both:

Your 13-digit South African ID number
Your six-digit SRD Application ID

Therefore, not having an Application ID does not necessarily prevent you from starting a number-change request. Try the official ID-based mobile-number update page first.

What Is a SASSA Application ID?

The SRD Application ID, sometimes called an AppID, is the six-digit reference connected to your SRD application. It is not the same as your 13-digit South African ID number.

Your Application ID may appear in:

The confirmation information provided when you applied
Previous SRD messages or records
Your application or status information
Details supplied by SASSA after your application was registered

Never publish your Application ID, South African ID number, banking information or OTP online.

If you cannot locate your Application ID, contact SASSA on 0800 60 10 11. Have your identity details available, but do not share an OTP with anyone claiming to be a SASSA representative.

What If You Lost Your Phone or SIM Card?

First decide whether you lost only the physical SIM or also lost access to the cellphone number.

You still own the old number

Ask your mobile network about replacing the SIM while keeping the same number. This is commonly called a SIM replacement or SIM swap.

If your network successfully restores the original number, you may not need to change the number registered with SASSA.

Complete a SIM replacement only through your mobile network’s official store or verified support channel. SIM-swap fraud can give criminals access to OTPs and financial accounts.

You cannot recover the old number

Use the official SASSA mobile-number update page and select the reason that most accurately explains why you need a new number.

SASSA may require additional verification because you cannot receive an OTP on the old number. Follow the identity-verification instructions displayed by the portal.

Why Is SASSA Asking for Facial Verification?

SASSA can use identity-verification measures to reduce fraudulent changes and protect SRD applicants. If facial verification is requested, you may receive instructions or a secure link as part of the update process.

For a clearer scan:

Use a phone with a functioning front camera
Clean the camera lens
Stand in a well-lit area
Remove sunglasses, masks or anything covering your face
Keep your face inside the outline shown on the screen
Allow the browser to use your camera
Keep your head still until the scan finishes

Only complete facial verification through an official sassa.gov.za page. Do not send a selfie or a photograph of your ID to an unknown WhatsApp number.

What to Do If the Facial Verification Fails

A failed scan does not automatically mean your grant has been cancelled. Technical problems, poor lighting, an unclear camera image or a mismatch with identity records can interrupt verification.

Try the following:

Check that your internet connection is stable.
Use natural light or move to a brighter room.
Clean the camera and try again.
Allow camera permissions in your browser settings.
Turn off filters or beauty-camera settings.
Use another compatible phone if one is safely available.
Contact SASSA if the verification continues to fail.

Avoid submitting repeated requests without reading the error message. Multiple attempts will not correct inaccurate identity information.

The OTP Is Not Arriving on the New Number

If SASSA does not send the OTP immediately:

Confirm that you entered the correct 10-digit number
Check that the phone has a mobile-network signal
Restart the phone and check the SMS inbox again
Make sure the SMS inbox is not full
Check whether service or short-code messages are blocked
Wait before requesting another OTP
Do not repeatedly press the OTP button

If the problem continues, contact your mobile network to confirm that the SIM can receive service messages. You can also contact SASSA for assistance.

Never tell another person the OTP. Anyone who obtains it may be able to access or change sensitive application information.

How Long Does a SASSA Number Change Take?

SASSA does not display one guaranteed processing time that applies to every phone-number update. Some changes may be completed quickly, while cases requiring identity, fraud or biometric checks can take longer.

After submitting your request:

Keep the new SIM active
Check the new number for official SMS messages
Do not submit another change unless SASSA instructs you to do so
Save any confirmation or reference information
Contact SASSA if the request remains unresolved

A pending phone-number update does not necessarily mean your SRD application has been declined.

Can You Change Your Number by Calling SASSA?

The online SRD portal is the primary route for submitting the change. The SASSA call centre can provide guidance or help you report a problem, but identity verification may still be required.

Official SASSA contact details include:

Toll-free number: 0800 60 10 11
Email: grantenquiries@sassa.gov.za
Website: www.sassa.gov.za
SRD portal: srd.sassa.gov.za

Do not send your banking PIN, card PIN, password or OTP by email.

What If Someone Changed Your SASSA Number Without Permission?

Treat an unauthorised cellphone-number change as a potential fraud or identity-theft issue.

Take these steps:

Open SASSA’s official Report Unauthorised Cellphone Number Change page.
Enter your South African ID number and follow the security instructions.
Call SASSA on 0800 60 10 11.
Ask your mobile network whether an unauthorised SIM swap occurred.
Check whether your SRD banking details were also changed.
Contact your bank immediately if any banking information or transactions look unfamiliar.
Keep screenshots, SMS messages and reference numbers connected to the incident.

Do not pay anyone who claims they can recover your SASSA account or release a blocked payment.

Common Reasons a Phone-Number Update Does Not Work

Problem	What to check
“Invalid ID number”	Enter all 13 digits and confirm that the number matches your South African ID
OTP not received	Check the mobile number, network signal and SMS settings
Application ID rejected	Confirm that you are entering the six-digit AppID, not part of your ID number
Facial verification fails	Improve lighting, clean the camera and remove face coverings
Website will not open	Check your data connection and try the official portal again later
Number already linked	Contact SASSA so the application can be checked securely
Old number unavailable	Use the ID-based mobile-number update route
Change not reflected	Allow time for verification and contact SASSA if it remains unresolved

Important Safety Rules

Changing your SASSA contact number is free. Protect yourself by following these rules:

Use only pages ending in sassa.gov.za
Do not pay an agent to change your phone number
Never disclose an OTP to another person
Do not post your ID or Application ID on Facebook
Avoid links sent by unknown WhatsApp accounts
Do not use a public computer for sensitive changes
Log out and close the browser after finishing
Keep your new SIM and phone secure

An unofficial information website may explain the process, but your actual number change should be completed only through SASSA’s official platform.

Frequently Asked Questions

Not necessarily. SASSA’s ID-based mobile-number update route is intended to help applicants request a change when their contact circumstances have changed. Additional identity verification may be required if the old number is unavailable.

You should use a cellphone number that belongs to you. This reduces verification problems and helps protect your application and payments from fraud.

It is safer to use your own number. A number controlled by another person can prevent you from receiving private OTPs and grant notifications.

Phone-number and banking-detail changes are separate processes. Approved beneficiaries can use SASSA’s official Banking Details Update page when they need to change their payment account.

SASSA does not charge a fee for updating your cellphone number through its official portal.

Read and record the complete error message. Confirm your ID and phone-number details, then try again later. Contact SASSA if the same error continues.

Final Checklist

Before submitting your request, confirm that:

Your 13-digit ID number is correct
Your new cellphone number has 10 digits
The new SIM can receive SMS messages
You control and preferably own the new number
You are using an official sassa.gov.za page
You have not shared your OTP with anyone
You have saved the submission confirmation

Updating your phone number helps ensure that important SRD messages reach you. Complete the change through SASSA’s official portal, follow any identity-verification instructions carefully and report an unauthorised change immediately.