If you've swapped SIM cards, lost your phone, or opened a new email account since you applied for the SASSA Social Relief of Distress (SRD) R370 grant, you need to update those details with SASSA directly. Your registered cellphone number and email address are how SASSA verifies who you are, sends you one-time pins, and tells you when your grant status changes. Get this wrong, or leave it outdated, and you risk missing a payment notification or an appeal deadline - or worse, having someone else take control of your grant. This guide walks you through exactly how to change your number and email on the SRD system, step by step.
Why Your Registered Details Matter
Your cellphone number isn't just a contact detail on your SRD application - it's your identity verification method. SASSA sends a one-time pin (OTP) to your registered number every time you log in to check your status, update your banking details, or lodge an appeal. If that number no longer belongs to you, you'll lock yourself out of your own account at the exact moment you need it most, usually when a payment doesn't arrive or an application gets declined.
Your email address plays a similar role for correspondence and additional verification on parts of the portal. Since SASSA does not process a number change over the phone through the general call centre, and never processes one based on a WhatsApp message alone, the update has to happen through the official channel below.
Changing Your Cellphone Number
Go directly to srd.sassa.gov.za by typing the address into your browser yourself - never click a link sent to you in an SMS or on WhatsApp, since fraudsters run fake copies of this site to steal applicants' details. Once you're on the official site, find the option to update your mobile number and follow these steps:
- Enter your 13-digit South African ID number.
- SASSA sends an OTP to the cellphone number currently on file. Enter it to prove you still control that number.
- Enter the new cellphone number you want to use going forward.
- Confirm the new number with a second OTP sent to it.
- Submit the change and note the reference number the system gives you.
Don't expect the change to reflect instantly. It typically takes one to three business days for the new number to become active across SASSA's systems, including SMS notifications and future OTPs. Avoid submitting the request more than once in that window, since duplicate requests can delay processing rather than speed it up.
Changing Your Email Address
Updating your email address follows similar logic but sits in a different part of the portal. Log in to your SRD profile, find the section for managing your contact or profile details, and look specifically for the email field rather than the mobile number field - the two are updated separately. Enter your new email address, and SASSA sends a verification link or code to that new address, since email doesn't carry the same OTP-to-existing-device requirement that a phone number swap does. Click the link, or enter the code, to confirm the change is genuinely yours.
If you don't have an email address on file at all, which is common since email was optional on many original SRD applications, you can add one for the first time using the same section.
If You've Lost Access to Your Old Number
The process above assumes you can still receive an OTP on your old number. If your SIM was lost, stolen, swapped without your consent, or simply cut off, you won't be able to complete that first verification step, and the online form won't work for you. In that situation, contact the SASSA call centre on 0800 60 10 11 and explain that you've lost access to your registered number entirely. You'll be asked to verify your identity using your ID number and other personal details on file instead of an OTP. This route takes longer than the standard online update, so raise it as soon as you notice the problem rather than waiting until you need to check a payment or lodge an appeal.
Protecting Your Profile From Fraud
Because a working OTP is often all that's needed to change grant details, your registered number is a target for SIM-swap fraud. If you ever discover your cellphone number was changed on the SRD system without your knowledge - for instance, you suddenly stop receiving SASSA SMS notifications - treat it as an emergency. Call the SASSA fraud line on 0800 60 10 11 immediately to have your profile frozen, and report the incident on srd.sassa.gov.za, where there's a dedicated option for reporting an unauthorised number change. Also contact your mobile network provider to check whether your SIM was fraudulently swapped, since that's usually how this kind of theft happens. Never share an OTP with anyone, including someone claiming to be a SASSA official - genuine SASSA staff will never ask you for it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my SASSA SRD cellphone number by calling the call centre?
No. SASSA agents on the general call centre line cannot process a number change directly. You need to do it through the official portal at srd.sassa.gov.za, or raise it as a lost-access case if you no longer have your old number.
How long does it take for a new cellphone number to start working on the SRD system?
It typically takes one to three business days for a new number to reflect across SASSA's systems, including OTPs and SMS notifications, so avoid submitting the request more than once while you wait.
Do I need to update my email and cellphone number separately?
Yes. They sit in different sections of the SRD portal and use different verification methods - an OTP to your phone for a number change, and a verification email or code for an email change.
What should I do if I no longer have access to my old registered number?
Call the SASSA call centre on 0800 60 10 11 and explain that you've lost access, since the standard online form requires an OTP sent to that old number. You'll need to verify your identity another way.
What if my number was changed without my permission?
Call the SASSA fraud line on 0800 60 10 11 straight away to freeze your profile, and use the "Report Unauthorised Number Change" option on srd.sassa.gov.za. Also check with your mobile network provider for signs of a SIM swap.