If you haven’t received any SMS but your status shows that you have been approved for the SASSA funding, there could be a number of reasons as to why this is happening. I will mention them in this article.
1. Incorrect Personal Details
In your application for SASSA funding, you might have added wrong details in your personal details especially your mobile phone number. This can prevent SASSA from sending you SMS alerts.
To update your personal details with SASSA, you have several options:
- Online: Visit the SASSA Relief of Distress (SRD) website at https://srd.sassa.gov.za/sc19/reconfirmation/auth and follow the instructions to update your details. You have the option of updating your name, ID number, cellphone number and email address.
- Phone: You also have the option of contacting SASSA through their toll-free call center number 0800 601 011 and update your details over the phone.
When updating your details, ensure that the information you provide is accurate and up to date to avoid any issues with communication and grant disbursement.
2. IT Network/SMS Delivery Problems
Several factors can contribute to delays in the delivery of SMS (Short Message Service) from SASSA. These factors can occur at different stages of the SMS delivery process.
I will mention some reasons which could be delaying you from receiving SMS alerts from SASSA.
- Network Congestion
- Mobile network issues
- Message queue
- SMSC issues
- Routing issues
- Message filters and spam checks
- Do Not Disturb settings
- Handset issues
- International message routing
- Service provider limitations
- Message length
Lets look at each problem in details
1. Network Congestion:
Your mobile network provider in South Africa could be experiencing high traffic on their network and this can result in delays in message delivery to your phone. This is often likely to happen during peak usage hours or in densely populated areas.
2. Mobile Network Issues:
There could be temporary issues affecting your mobile network. Such problems can include downtime, maintenance, upgrades or technical glitches, leading to delays in SASSA message delivery.
3. Message Queue
– If SASSA has a lot of bulk messages that they need to send, it may take time for messages to be sent out, causing delays.
4. SMSC (Short Message Service Center) Issues:
– The SMSC is responsible for storing, forwarding, and delivering SMS messages from SASSA. Should there be issues with the SMSC, issues such as overload or technical problems, will can result in delays.
5. Routing Issues:
– When you have incorrect routing or misconfiguration in the message delivery path, this will result in delays. Also, SASSA messages may take longer to reach their destination if the routing is not optimized.
6. Message Filtering and Spam Checks:
– Different mobile carriers in South Africa in many cases often implement filtering mechanisms to detect and block spam messages. If the content of the message from SASSA triggers these filters, it may result in delays or even message rejection.
7. DND (Do Not Disturb) Settings:
– South Africans, either deliberately or by mistake could have activated DND settings on their devices to block promotional messages. In such cases, messages may be delayed or not delivered at all.
8. Handset Issues:
– Some phones can cause delay of messages. Such scenarios are when the message inbox is full or the device itself has problems.
9. Service Provider Limitations:
– The SMS service provider used by SASSA can have problems on message throughput, and exceeding these limits can lead to delays.
11. Message Length:
– Longer messages may be split into multiple parts, and the reassembly at the recipient’s end could introduce delays.
How To Contact SASSA Concerning SMS Delivery Problems
The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) provides various channels to reach them if you have problems accessing their services. Please remember that contact information may change, so it’s recommended to verify the details on their official website or through other reliable sources.
Here are some general ways of contacting SASSA:
1. SASSA Helpline
- There is a toll-free helpline that you can use to reach SASSA. Its 0800 60 10 11.
2. SASSA Website
- You can check out the official SASSA website at https://www.sassa.gov.za
3. Local SASSA Offices
There are many local SASSA offices in different town and cities in South Africa that you can visit and make your complains. The list of offices and their contact information can be found on their official site. I too have listed a few of these SASSA local offices on my website.
4. Email:
– You can try reaching out to SASSA via email.
5. Social Media:
– SASSA may have official social media accounts on platforms like Twitter or Facebook. Check these platforms for updates and possibly for reaching out with inquiries.
6. Post:
– You can send written correspondence to the SASSA headquarters. Check the official website for the postal address.
Its important that you use official channels of communication with SASSA so that your questions are addressed by the proper authorized personnel. In the world we live in you have to be careful of phishing scams and only use the contact details provided on the official SASSA website or other reliable sources.