SASSA warning: Ignore this SMS and you could lose your grant
· The South African
Thousands of SASSA beneficiaries are being urged not to ignore SMS notifications requesting them to attend a grant review, warning that failure to respond could result in their grant being suspended or lapsing.
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The reminder comes ahead of the August payment cycle, with the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) saying beneficiaries selected for review will receive their grants on the fourth payment day, Friday, 7 August, instead of during the normal three-day payment schedule.
However, SASSA stressed that receiving a review SMS does not mean a beneficiary has done anything wrong.
Instead, grant reviews form part of the agency’s legal responsibility to ensure social assistance is paid only to people who continue to qualify.
Why SASSA sends review SMSs
According to SASSA, reviews are carried out to:
- Confirm beneficiaries still qualify for their grant.
- Verify information on record.
- Prevent fraud and abuse.
- Keep the beneficiary database up to date.
The agency sends review notifications via SMS using the cellphone number recorded on its system.
For that reason, beneficiaries are urged to keep their contact details current.
Why your cellphone number matters
SASSA warned that beneficiaries who change their cellphone number without informing the agency could miss important review notices.
The agency also expects beneficiaries to report changes to:
- Residential address.
- Marital status.
- Financial circumstances or income.
- Travel outside South Africa.
- Any other information that could affect eligibility.
Keeping these details updated helps prevent unnecessary payment delays and interruptions.
What happens if you ignore the SMS?
Beneficiaries who receive a review notification should visit their nearest SASSA office during August to complete the process.
Failure to do so could result in the grant being suspended or lapsing in terms of the Social Assistance Act.
Beneficiaries who are unable to visit an office because they are bedridden or medically unfit can arrange for an authorised representative to act on their behalf.
REMINDER: August 2026 payment dates
- Older Persons Grant: Tuesday, 4 August
- Disability Grant: Wednesday, 5 August
- Children’s Grants: Thursday, 6 August
- Grants under review: Friday, 7 August
Beneficiaries who do not receive payment during the first three payment days should first check whether their grant has been selected for review before rushing to a SASSA office.
