Johannesburg - With just a few hours left before Thursday's deadline, more than 95 percent of cellular phone users in South Africa had registered their SIM cards for RICA, the Department of Communications said on Wednesday.
The Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of Communication-Related Information Act (RICA), requires compulsory registration of all SIM cards in use, and came into effect on 1 July 2009.
The Act requires mobile operators, service providers and sellers to register the identities, physical address and cellular phone numbers of new and existing customers who purchase or have purchased SIM cards. Officials say the regulation is aimed at curbing criminal activities often committed using cell phones.
At a media briefing on Wednesday, Communications Deputy Minister Obed Bapela said since the introduction of the law, there had been a noticeable drop in the number of certain crimes such as robbery and hijacking across the country.
"Previously, people would buy these SIM cards at any corner and would commit these heists and throw the card away and this made it very difficult for police to make conclusive investigations on cases committed using cell phones," he said.
As of Wednesday, MTN and Vodacom registered 98 percent their contract customers, with 96 percent of pre-paid customers registered.
About 99 percent of Cell C contract customers had registered for RICA, while 94 percent of prepaid users' SIM cards having being captured, the company's CEO Lars Reichlt said.
New entrants on the market, 8ta, a division of Telkom, was100 percent compliant with the law as they said all their customers bought their cards at a time the law was in full operation.
While Bapela described the overall 95 percent figure of registered cards as an achievement, he warned that those who failed to register by Thursday will be disconnected.
"Contrary to the rumour that is going on that you will not be disconnected, we want to assure you that everyone whose SIM cards are not on the system will be cut off... we are making a last call to all South Africans to RICA," he said.
A number of those who owned cell phones, especially those under the age of 16, said they did not have IDs, while some lacked proof of address, a requirement for registration.
Gauteng remained the province with the highest number of people who have not registered their SIM cards, followed by KwaZulu-Natal. This is despite vigorous campaigns being held by the department for people to RICA in these two provinces. All the three network operators said they would open until midnight on Thursday in most stores, particularly those at major shopping centres.
