A critical weakness in South Africa’s SIM card registration system is enabling spam callers and criminals to operate undetected.
Thokozani Mvelase, CEO of the Communications Risk Information Centre, raised the alarm in an interview with Cape Talk.
Mvelase explained that there are two legal ways to obtain a SIM card.
The first is registering one’s personal details with a network provider as required under the Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of Communication-related Information Act (RICA). This can be done in person or online.
“Doing so digitally is more secure as it is linked to Home Affairs to verify the information provided,” Mvelase said.
The second method is through purchasing a pre-RICA’d SIM card from a verified distributor or RICA agent. In this process, the agent registers the SIM in their own name, and the new user is supposed to update the details.
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However, Mvelase pointed out a significant flaw in this process.
“It does not require verification, and that’s a shortcoming,” he said. “You can produce an ID or a copy of one and say this is me, and the RICA agent can capture it because that’s who you purport to be.”
This lack of proper identity verification means individuals can register SIM cards under false identities. Criminals can use such numbers to carry out fraud or remain anonymous while sending spam.
Mvelase emphasized that this problem puts both malicious actors and innocent users at risk. He warned against promotions where SIM cards are handed out without proper checks.
“Once you have that pre-RICA’d SIM card and use it as your number, you end up linking your bank account information to that number,” he said. “If you lose that number, you can still have OTPs sent to that, but you can’t go and reclaim that number.”
Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed concern over flaws in the RICA Amendment Bill. In October 2024, he referred the bill back to the National Assembly, citing its failure to safeguard privacy rights and ensure accountability for surveillance.
Source: Mybroadband
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