SRD Phone Number Change — How To Update Your Registered Number and Fix OTP Blockers
At a Glance: What To Do First
Your registered phone number is the key that unlocks every action on your SRD profile. You need it to check your status, update your banking details, submit appeals, and receive payment confirmations. If you no longer have access to the number registered on your SRD application, you are blocked from all of these actions until the number is updated. Go to the official SRD portal first and attempt the phone number update online. If the online update fails because you cannot receive the OTP on your old number, follow the in-person process at a SASSA office described below.
Why Your Registered Phone Number Matters
Every secure action on the SRD portal requires an OTP sent to your registered phone number. This includes logging in to check your status, updating your banking details, submitting an appeal, and checking your appeal status. If the number on your profile is no longer your active number, you cannot complete any of these actions until the number is updated.
Common situations where the phone number becomes a blocker include losing your phone or SIM card, changing to a new phone number without updating SRD first, your SIM being deactivated due to non-use, switching mobile network operators and getting a new number, and your SIM being stolen or cloned.
How To Update Your SRD Phone Number Online
The online update is only possible if you still have access to your old registered number and can receive the OTP on it. If you can receive the OTP, this is the fastest method.
Go to the official SRD portal. Enter your ID number and your current registered phone number. Request the OTP and enter it to verify your identity. Navigate to the profile or contact details section. Select the option to update your phone number. Enter your new phone number. Confirm the new number by entering the OTP sent to it. Submit the update. You will receive a confirmation SMS on your new number.
After updating, use your new number for all future SRD portal actions including status checks, banking updates, and appeals.
How To Update Your SRD Phone Number If You Cannot Receive the OTP
If you no longer have access to your old registered number and cannot receive the OTP, you cannot complete the update online. You must visit a SASSA office in person to update your number.
What to bring to the SASSA office:
Your original South African ID document. A certified copy of your ID document. Your new active SIM card in your phone so SASSA can send a verification OTP to your new number during the process. Proof of your new phone number if available such as a recent airtime receipt or network statement showing the number.
At the SASSA office:
Tell the official you need to update the phone number on your SRD profile and that you no longer have access to the old number. The official will verify your identity using your ID document and update the phone number on the system. They will send a verification OTP to your new number to confirm the change. Once confirmed the update is complete and you can use your new number immediately.
Allow up to 24 hours after an in-person update before attempting to log in to the SRD portal with your new number in case the system takes time to process the change.
What To Do If Your SIM Was Stolen or Cloned
If your SIM was stolen, act immediately in the following order.
Contact your mobile network operator and report the SIM as stolen. Ask them to block the SIM immediately so the person who stole it cannot intercept your OTPs. Request a replacement SIM with the same number if you want to keep your existing number, or a new number if you prefer.
If you are replacing your SIM with the same number, once the new SIM is active you can log in to the SRD portal using your existing registered number since the number itself has not changed. The OTP will now go to your replacement SIM.
If you have taken a new number, visit a SASSA office with your ID document and new SIM to update your registered number as described above.
Also check your SRD banking details after a SIM theft. If someone had access to your old SIM even briefly, they may have attempted to change your banking details. Log in and verify your banking details as soon as your new SIM is active.
What To Do If Your Number Was Deactivated
Mobile network operators deactivate SIM cards after extended periods of non-use, typically between three and twelve months depending on the operator. If your SIM was deactivated and the number was reassigned to someone else, you face a more complex situation.
Contact your mobile network operator and explain that your SIM was deactivated and you need to confirm whether the number is still available under your name or has been reassigned. If the number has been reassigned to another person, you will need to register a new number and update your SRD profile at a SASSA office with your ID document and new active SIM.
If the number is still available and can be reactivated under your name, request reactivation and once your SIM is active again use your existing number to log in to the SRD portal.
RICA and Your SRD Phone Number
Your phone number must be RICA-registered under your own name and ID number for it to work reliably with the SRD portal. If your SIM is registered under another person’s name, it may cause mismatches in the SRD system.
To check your RICA registration, contact your mobile network operator. To correct a RICA registration, take your original ID document to any store of your network operator and request a re-RICA in your name.
Network RICA contact channels:
Vodacom: 082 135 or vodacom.co.za
Cell C: 084 135 or cellc.co.za
Telkom Mobile: 081 180 or telkom.co.za
How To Update Your Phone Number Through the SASSA Call Centre
If you cannot visit a SASSA office immediately, contact the SASSA call centre on 0800 60 10 11 and ask for assistance with a phone number update. Be aware that call centre agents may have limited ability to complete this update remotely and may direct you to visit a SASSA office. However calling first saves you a wasted trip if the process can be started or resolved by phone.
When calling, have your ID number, your old registered phone number, and your new phone number ready. Answer all security and verification questions asked. Note the call reference number.
Copy and Paste Template for SASSA Phone Number Update Request
Subject: SRD Phone Number Update Request — [Your ID Number]
Message:
Dear SASSA,
I am writing to request assistance with updating the phone number registered to my SRD application. I no longer have access to my old registered number and am unable to complete the OTP verification required to update it online.
Full name: [Your full name as on your ID] ID number: [Your 13-digit ID number] Old registered phone number: [Old number if known] New phone number: [Your new active number]
Please advise on how I can complete this update and confirm what documents I need to bring to a SASSA office to resolve this.
Thank you.
What Happens to Your SRD While You Are Locked Out
Being locked out of your registered phone number does not cancel your SRD application or your eligibility. Your monthly assessments continue to run and months can still be approved or declined during the period you are locked out. However you will not be able to check your status, update your banking details, or submit appeals until the number is updated.
This means that if months are being declined during the lockout period you may be missing appeal windows. Fix your phone number as urgently as possible to protect your ability to appeal declined months within the 90-day window.
Scam Awareness for Phone Number Updates
Phone number updates are heavily targeted by scammers because controlling your registered number gives access to your entire SRD profile.
SIM swap scams. Scammers contact your mobile network operator pretending to be you and request a SIM swap to a new SIM they control. They then receive your OTPs and can change your SRD banking details. Protect yourself by setting up a SIM swap block with your network operator. Most operators offer this as a free security feature.
Fake SASSA update portals. Websites that look like the SRD portal but are designed to steal your ID and phone number. Always verify the URL is srd.sassa.gov.za before entering any details.
Agent fee scams. People claiming they can update your SRD phone number for a fee. SASSA never charges fees for phone number updates. Anyone asking for payment is a scammer.
OTP theft calls. Scammers call pretending to be SASSA and ask for the OTP you just received. They then use it to access your profile. Never share your OTP with anyone under any circumstances.
Phone number updates are completely free and must only be done through the official SRD portal or at a SASSA office.
Summary: How To Change Your SRD Phone Number
- If you still have access to your old number, update online at the SRD portal using the OTP sent to your old number and follow the prompts to enter and verify your new number.
- If you no longer have access to your old number, visit your nearest SASSA office with your original ID document and your new active SIM card.
- If your SIM was stolen, block it with your network operator immediately and then either use a replacement SIM with the same number or visit SASSA to update to a new number.
- If your SIM was deactivated and the number reassigned, contact your network operator first, then visit SASSA with your ID and new SIM.
- Check your RICA registration is in your own name to prevent future mismatches.
- Contact SASSA on 0800 60 10 11 if you need guidance before visiting an office.
SRD Phone Number Change FAQs
Can I update my SRD phone number online? Yes, but only if you still have access to your old registered number and can receive the OTP on it. If you cannot receive the OTP on your old number, you must visit a SASSA office in person.
What do I need to bring to the SASSA office to update my number? Your original South African ID document and your new active SIM card in your phone. SASSA will send a verification OTP to your new number during the process to confirm the change.
How long does it take for the phone number update to reflect? Online updates are usually immediate. In-person updates at a SASSA office may take up to 24 hours to reflect on the SRD portal.
My SIM was stolen. What do I do first? Contact your mobile network operator immediately and block the stolen SIM. Then request a replacement SIM with the same number or a new number. Once your new SIM is active, log in to the SRD portal and check your banking details to ensure nothing was changed while the SIM was stolen.
Can someone else update my SRD phone number on my behalf? No. The phone number update requires in-person identity verification using your original ID document. Someone else cannot do this for you.
My old number no longer exists. What do I do? Visit a SASSA office with your original ID document and your new active SIM. SASSA will verify your identity and update the number directly on the system.
Will my SRD application be cancelled if I do not update my number? No. Your application and monthly assessments continue. However you will be locked out of the portal until the number is updated, which means you cannot submit appeals for declined months. Update your number as urgently as possible to protect your appeal windows.
What is a SIM swap and how does it affect my SRD? A SIM swap transfers your phone number to a new SIM card. If someone fraudulently performs a SIM swap using your number, they can receive your OTPs and access your SRD profile. Contact your network operator and ask them to add a SIM swap block to your number as a security measure.
Can I use a number that is registered in someone else’s name? This is not recommended. Your SRD profile should use a number that is RICA-registered in your own name to avoid mismatches. A number registered under another person’s name may cause problems with SRD cross-checks.
Official References
- SRD portal
- SRD status portal
- SASSA website
- SASSA helpline: 0800 60 10 11 (free, Monday to Friday)
- SASSA WhatsApp: 082 046 8553
- Vodacom RICA: 082 135
- MTN RICA: 083 135
- Cell C RICA: 084 135
- Telkom Mobile RICA: 081 180
- Legal Aid South Africa
- Black Sash
Information on this page is sourced from official SASSA announcements and verified against www.sassa.gov.za. For official queries contact SASSA directly at www.sassa.gov.za or call 0800 60 10 11.
