For thousands of South Africans living on the R370 SRD grant, an unexpected R2 000 windfall can be life-changing. For Warren Jacobs, it was also, at first, hard to believe. Jacobs, a SASSA SRD grant beneficiary, recently won the prize after entering a survey competition run by The South African. But when the call came through confirming his win, his instinct wasn’t celebration; it was suspicion.
“I was shocked and excited, but also a bit confused. I didn’t expect it. I thought it might be a scam at first,” Jacobs told The South African in an exclusive interview.
That reaction isn’t unusual. With fake SASSA competitions, phishing links, and fraudulent SRD payment scams circulating widely on social media, many grant recipients have learned to treat unexpected good news with caution, even when it turns out to be genuine.
A quiet moment, an unexpected outcome
Jacobs said he hadn’t gone looking for the competition at all. Like many respondents, he came across it while doing something completely ordinary.
“I was just scrolling on my phone and saw the survey from The South African. I filled it in quickly in my free time. I never thought I would win anything,” he said.
It’s a detail that speaks to how these competitions often work: a few minutes of idle scrolling, a quick form filled in without much thought, and then, weeks later, a message that changes the shape of someone’s month.
‘Never share your PIN or OTP’
Having felt sceptical about online competitions himself, Jacobs said he understood why some beneficiaries hesitate to trust similar offers, and urged caution rather than outright avoidance.
“I was also sceptical at first. I would say just be careful, check that it’s from the real company, and never share your PIN or OTP,” he said.
Message to SASSA and fellow beneficiaries
Jacobs closed the interview with a message to government and SASSA, acknowledging the support the grant provides while highlighting the ongoing strain of the cost of living. He also encouraged other beneficiaries to stay hopeful, but alert.
“To SASSA and the government, thank you for the grant support, but the cost of living is still very high. To other beneficiaries, stay hopeful but also be very careful of scams,” Jacobs said.
Win R2 000 in the South African SASSA grant survey
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