South Africa is a country where millions of people rely on the grants provided by the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) every month. In an effort to ensure that these grants are being received by the right people, SASSA has introduced new verification checks.
SASSA has announced that beneficiaries of the Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant, also known as the R350 grant, will now be required to undergo a facial recognition check as a form of identity verification.
Are You Affected by the New Verification Checks?
The new facial recognition checks will affect several groups of people who have applied for the SRD grant. These include:
- Clients who wish to update their mobile number
- Clients who want to clear a referred SRD grant status
- Clients who have requested a Post Bank account to be opened on their behalf
- Clients requesting payment via the cash send payment method
It is important to note that if you fail to update your mobile number on the SRD grant website, you will not receive an SMS from SASSA to inform you that your grant money is ready for collection.
A referred SRD grant status means that a fraudulent application was received from the mobile number you applied with. In this case, you will need to undergo facial recognition.
How the Facial Recognition Check Works
SASSA will send you two SMS’s. In the second SMS, there will be a link provided for you to click on. This link will only be valid for 72 hours. You will then be required to undergo facial recognition to verify your identity.
If you require further information about the new biometric identity verification, you can contact the SASSA call center on 0800 60 10 11 to request that the SMS be re-sent.
In conclusion, the introduction of facial recognition technology to verify SASSA R350 grants is a step in the right direction to prevent fraud and ensure that grants are being received by the right people. While it may be an inconvenience for some, it is a necessary measure to ensure that the grants are being distributed fairly.
