SRD Banking Details: How to Add or Change Them

What are the rules for an SRD bank account?

• In your own name. A spouse's, parent's or friend's account is rejected.
• Active. SASSA cannot pay into a dormant or closed account, and will not assign a payment date until an active one is confirmed.
• Changed only on the portal. Banking details cannot be changed by WhatsApp, SMS link, phone call or any other website. A message offering to "update your banking details" is a scam.
• Verified before use. SASSA confirms the account with the bank; payments use the new details only after that succeeds.
• Able to receive an EFT. SASSA pays social assistance by electronic funds transfer, so the account has to support it.

For a permanent grant, whether you are applying for the first time or updating your details, SASSA also asks for a recent three-month bank statement from an active account that clearly shows your name and account number. The full list is on documents and qualifying criteria.

How do I update my banking details?

1. Open the official banking-details page. Go to https://srd.sassa.gov.za/sc19/banking-details-update.
2. Choose the option for your ID type. Enter your 13-digit ID number.
3. Enter the one-time PIN. It is sent by SMS to the phone number on your application. If you no longer have that number, change your phone number first.
4. Enter the new details. Give the bank, account number and type, or choose a cash-send option.
5. Accept the declaration. It states that the account is yours and that SASSA may verify it with the bank. Without this the update cannot be submitted.
6. Submit and wait for verification. Do not submit the same change repeatedly; each submission restarts the check.

Check your current payment option first

Before you change anything, the page shows your current payment option: the type (your own bank account, or a cash-send bank), the bank, and whether it has been verified. If that is already correct and verified, press confirm current payment option instead of capturing new details — submitting a change you do not need restarts verification and can delay your payment. Only open Capture Own Bank Account or Select Bank for Cash Send if the details shown are wrong.

Which payment methods are available?

Bank account

Any South African bank, in your own name. The most reliable option once verified.

Cash send / cardless payment through a major bank

A code sent to your phone lets you withdraw at that bank's ATMs without an account. Choose this only if you cannot open an account.

Postbank card

For beneficiaries paid through Postbank — see the card change below.

You can switch methods on the same page; the new method is verified before it is used, so expect a short gap.

Does SRD pay into TymeBank and other digital banks?

Yes. The portal accepts any South African bank account in your own name, and a digital bank appears the same way as a traditional one. In the screenshot below the current payment option is ownbank, the bank is TYME BANK LIMITED and the verification line reads verified — the state you want before a payment date can be set. If your own screen reads like this, press confirm current payment option rather than capturing the same account again.

How long does verification take?

While verification is running, an approved month can show no payment date — see approved but no payment date.

Which mistakes delay my payment?

What do I see after I submit a change of payment method on SASSA Online Services?

SASSA Online Services is the portal used for permanent grants. It is separate from the SRD portal above and has its own registration. When a request for a change of payment method goes through there, it ends on a confirmation page like the one below.

The page says four things:

• Keep the reference number. A yellow banner asks you to take note of your application reference number and print the submit receipt. The page says the number can be used to track your application.
• The request is submitted, not approved. "Your request for change of payment method has been submitted" is a receipt.
• The bank account is verified next. A change of bank account details is subject to the account number passing bank account verification — the same check described above.
• SASSA contacts you if it needs more. The page says you will be contacted if further details are required, so keep the phone number on your application switched on.

Print or screenshot the page and keep the number. Quote it if you call 0800 60 10 11 about the request, and hide it before sharing a screenshot anywhere public.

What happened to the SASSA Gold Card?

SASSA Gold Cards stopped working after 31 August 2026 and have been replaced by the Postbank Black Card. Beneficiaries still paid by Gold Card need the new card from Postbank, or can switch to a bank account of their own on the portal. Nobody will collect your old card or ask for its PIN; anyone who does is a scammer.

Common questions