IMPORTANT: SASSA safety tips for collecting your grant

SASSA works to administrate social grants in Southern Africa, but the system can be difficult to understand and navigate.

ALSO READ: SASSA: Where is my nearest SASSA office?

Criminals are on the prowl during grant times, making it risky for many South Africans who collect from retailers and stores.

Here’s our guide to collecting your social grant safely.

SASSA NEEDS YOUR CELLPHONE NUMBER

The South African Social Security Agency is linked directly to your South African Identity Number, which is linked to the registered cellphone number.

If you have registered with the system, your cellphone number is what verifies you online.

Without access to this cellphone number, it can be hard to access your SASSA profile.

ALSO READ: FAQ: Who really runs SASSA?

FIND OUT IF SASSA IS ONLINE

SASSA could be offline, and you might not be able to receive payments whlie you are on the taxi to collect your grant. The only way to be sure, is to call a retailer (or their National Helpline) to ask about the current system status.

If it’s offline and can’t process payments, someone will tell you… But you have to ask first!

BEWARE OF CRIMINALS

It’s easy to find out when the next grant payment dates are: just look it up.

Unfortunately, this also means that it’s just as easy for criminals to know when to target social grant recipients.

Grant payment dates can attract criminals who know that people are going into town to draw their social grants. Beware of criminals in town, and scammers that might target your social media accounts.

If possible, go to public spaces, and never travel alone to collect your grant.

ALSO READ: SASSA social grants: How to change your banking details

REMEMBER YOUR DOCUMENTS

If you are one of the South Africans who collect their grant at an office or retailer, remember all the most important documents: collection will require your Identity Document, and access to the phone number with which you registered.

ALSO READ: SASSA: What are the EIGHT payment grants South Africans can apply for?

Retailers must confirm with the recipient via a Confirmation Message, which goes to the recipient’s cellphone number to prevent fraud.

As one more tip, remember to charge your phone first! Without battery life, you might not be able to access the important confirmation message.

Collect your SASSA payments safely, South Africans!