The Democratic Alliance (DA) is calling for tighter regulations on SIM card registration in a bid to curb serious crimes such as kidnapping and extortion. Kabelo Kgobisa-Ngcaba, DA MP and deputy spokeswoman on correctional services, argues that South Africa’s Rica Act needs urgent revision to prevent vendors from pre-registering SIM cards for customers.
To address this, Kgobisa-Ngcaba has proposed a two-pronged approach: strengthening regulations and altering SIM card packaging. She suggests returning to the thicker, tamper-resistant packaging used in the past, which requires scissors to open. This, she believes, could deter vendors from pre-registering and reselling Sims while also prompting consumer awareness campaigns about the dangers of using such cards.
Speaking to TechCentral, Kgobisa-Ngcaba stressed that the ease with which unregistered SIM cards are obtained is fueling criminal activity. According to police minister Senzo Mchunu, 62% of extortion cases investigated by law enforcement involve the use of unregistered SIMs. Despite this alarming figure, enforcement remains a challenge, with limited police resources making it difficult to monitor compliance across thousands of vendors.
While tougher regulations and enhanced packaging could raise costs, Kgobisa-Ngcaba argues that a marginal price increase would not negatively impact consumers but might discourage excessive Sim recycling. Industry statistics suggest that Telkom alone produces 43 million SIM cards annually, with larger providers like MTN and Vodacom likely exceeding this figure. Given South Africa’s population of 65 million, the sheer volume of Sims in circulation underscores the potential for abuse.
A statement from security firm Securi-Tech echoed the DA’s concerns, warning that up to 60 million prepaid Sims are incorrectly registered each year. The company plans to formally request a review of Rica’s enforcement by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Justice. Their proposal includes introducing tamperproof packaging to block mass registrations by third-party vendors, a practice that weakens Rica’s effectiveness.
Globally, countries like Nigeria, India, and the UAE have taken more rigorous measures to ensure proper SIM registration, including biometric verification. These systems link SIM cards directly to users’ identities, making it harder for criminals to operate anonymously.
