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e-KYC is SASSA’s electronic identity check using facial biometric authentication. New SRD applicants must complete it before approval; people with a “referred” application, a cellphone-number change, or an “approved but not paid” application may also be asked to verify. It is not a monthly requirement for every beneficiary, and passing the check does not by itself guarantee approval or payment.
What e-KYC means for the SRD R370 grant
e-KYC means electronic Know Your Client: a digital process to help establish that an applicant is the person connected to the identity details on an application. For SRD, the check primarily involves facial biometric authentication. The Department of Home Affairs says its digital identity-verification system enables government departments, including SASSA, to verify identities using biometric features such as facial recognition and fingerprints against the National Population Register. The precise technical steps for an individual SRD check are not publicly specified in the material cited here.
SASSA uses identity and payment verification as part of its fraud-prevention process. Its SRD privacy policy describes applicant verification as a way to determine eligibility and bank-account verification as a way to ensure that the payment account belongs to the approved beneficiary. This identity check is one part of the assessment, not a substitute for the SRD eligibility rules.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesThe SRD R370 programme is temporary relief, distinct from ordinary ongoing social grants. The official SRD page sets out the programme information and application routes; applicants who are not South African ID holders should follow the separate route provided for asylum seekers and special-permit holders rather than assume that every instruction for South African ID applicants applies to them.
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Who may need to complete facial verification?
SASSA’s 2026 grant booklet identifies these situations:
| Situation or status | What to do |
|---|---|
| New SRD applicant | Complete facial biometric authentication before the application can be approved. |
| “Referred” application | Log in through the official SRD portal and request the link to update information and complete e-KYC. |
| Changing the cellphone number on the application | Expect to complete facial recognition verification as part of the number-change process. |
| “Approved but not paid” | SASSA may require a verification link and facial recognition before payment proceeds. Follow the instruction shown through the official portal. |
| “Declined” application | Read the reason and use the appeal route if appropriate. A biometric check is not an appeal. |
These triggers do not mean every beneficiary must repeat a scan each month. Complete verification when the official portal or a verified SASSA instruction says it is required for your application or a requested change. Do not rely on a social-media post or an SMS alone to establish that a link is genuine.
How to complete verification safely
- Go directly to the official SRD platform: https://srd.sassa.gov.za. Type the address yourself or use a saved bookmark.
- Choose the application, account, or status route that applies to your case. The portal’s labels and sequence may change, so follow the live instructions rather than expecting a particular button name.
- If your status is “referred,” log in and request the link to update your information and complete e-KYC. If your approved application is unpaid and SASSA has asked you to verify, request the verification link through the official portal.
- Open the verification process on a camera-enabled phone, laptop, or other device. Allow camera access only for the official SASSA page.
- Follow the on-screen instructions for positioning and capturing your face. Use even, front-facing light, keep the camera lens clear, and make sure your face is visible.
- Submit the check and keep any confirmation, reference, screenshot, or related message. Then return to the official status page to see whether your application or payment status has changed.
Useful preparations include your South African ID number or relevant application details, the cellphone number used for the application where applicable, a stable internet connection, and access to a camera. These are practical suggestions, not an exhaustive official checklist. The prompts and camera requirements are determined by the live process.
No smartphone, camera, laptop, or data?
SASSA Mpumalanga announced on 27 January 2026 that SRD R370 recipients without data, a smartphone, or a laptop could visit their nearest SASSA office for assistance. The announcement said offices had kiosks, official laptops, and guest Wi-Fi for biometric identity verification. This is an official assistance route, but availability and arrangements may differ by office; confirm locally before travelling using the government announcement and official SASSA contact information.
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Take your relevant identity and application information. Do not pay an informal agent to complete a scan, and do not hand over banking passwords, one-time PINs (OTPs), or unrelated personal information.
If facial verification fails
A failed attempt does not, on its own, prove fraud. Common practical causes include poor or backlit lighting, a covered face, an obstructed camera lens, weak connectivity, blocked browser camera permissions, an outdated browser or device, an identity-record mismatch, or a temporary service problem. These are troubleshooting possibilities, not SASSA failure codes.
- Check that you are on srd.sassa.gov.za, not a lookalike site.
- Try again in even, front-facing light and clean the camera lens. Remove anything that obscures your face unless it is medically or religiously necessary; if you need an accommodation, seek official assistance.
- Check the browser’s camera permission for the official page. If needed, try another current browser or camera-enabled device.
- Check your internet connection. Avoid repeated submissions if the portal displays a waiting period or other instruction.
- If the same failure continues, save the error and note the date and time of each attempt. Seek help through a SASSA office or the official call centre or published regional contacts.
A mismatch may need official or office-based assistance; retrying does not guarantee that it will be resolved. A facial check may also be unable to fix an underlying error in identity information held by Home Affairs.
Changing your cellphone number
A number change is a security-sensitive update, not just an ordinary profile edit: the 2026 SASSA booklet says facial recognition verification is required when changing the cellphone number connected to an application. SASSA’s SRD information page says the number should be one through which it can reach you and advises contacting the call centre if it differs from the number used to lodge the application.
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The official contact-details update page asks for a 13-digit South African identity number and a six-digit Application ID (AppID), and states that only one update request may be submitted in a 24-hour period. Use the official page and follow its current directions. SASSA has also urged applicants to use a cellphone number registered in their own name; if your number is not, ask SASSA what to do rather than giving an intermediary access to your application.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What verification can—and cannot—do
Completing e-KYC can help establish identity. It does not itself determine that you meet the SRD income and other eligibility rules, correct every contact or banking issue, overturn a decline, or guarantee that a payment will be made. An approved status also does not mean a payment is immediately available: verification or payment details may still need to be resolved.
For a declined application, read the reason for the relevant month. SASSA’s official page says applicants may appeal for each declined month. Its appeal page provides routes to lodge an appeal or check its status and asks for your South African ID number and the cellphone number used to submit the application. Check the live portal for the applicable appeal instructions and deadlines. Completing e-KYC does not automatically overturn a separate income, UIF, duplicate-application, or other eligibility decision.
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Protect your face, ID number, and OTP
Use only the official SRD domain: srd.sassa.gov.za. The government-backed warning about fake SRD sites identified srd-sassa.org.za and srdsassagov.co.za as fake websites. A SASSA name or logo does not prove a page is genuine.
- Check the domain before entering your ID number, cellphone number, or facial image. Do not trust a sponsored search result just because it appears first.
- Do not share an OTP with a caller or WhatsApp contact, send identity documents or selfies to an unverified person, or provide banking passwords.
- Do not pay someone to “unlock” or speed up a grant payment, and do not install an app supplied in an unsolicited message.
- Report suspicious requests through official SASSA channels.
Facial biometrics and identity numbers are sensitive personal information. SASSA’s privacy policy references the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) and describes the policy alongside declaration and consent documents. Use the official process, and do not assume that a message is authentic because it asks for information in the name of verification. The available information does not establish a specific retention period for a facial image or that every part of verification is automated.
Verification access and service problems
Online verification can avoid a trip to an office, but it depends on working equipment, connectivity, accurate identity details, and available government systems. In January 2025, Parliament raised concerns that an e-KYC system disruption could prevent legitimate beneficiaries from proving eligibility. That history is a reason to preserve evidence of failed attempts and seek official help when a service is unavailable—not to send your details to another website.
SASSA’s April 2026 statement about restoring a self-service biometric system concerned e-Life Certification. It should not be treated as proof that the SRD e-KYC workflow is identical: they are distinct processes unless SASSA explicitly says otherwise.
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