By Jabulile Ngwenya
South Africans can no longer enjoy the privilege of simply buying a SIM card off the street or from a retail outlet. Gone are the days of being anonymous.
According to the new Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provisions of Communication Related Information Act (Rica) - which came into effect on Wednesday - all cellphone users, contract and prepaid, have to register their SIM cards with their cellphone providers by providing proof of identity and residence within 18 months, or face termination of their SIM cards.
The country's three major cellphone providers, Vodacom, MTN and Cell C, as well as several businesses, have welcomed the legislation.
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| 'I won't register my phone' |
Two of these businesses are Business Against Crime South Africa (Bacsa) and Altech Autopage Cellular.
Bacsa's national project manager for the Cellphone Theft Prevention Project, advocate Simi Pillay-van Graan, said: "The registration of prepaid SIM cards, and the reporting of stolen, damaged and/or lost cellphones, supports and enhances other initiatives to combat cellphone crimes."
While cellphone operators will be obliged to keep a record of SMSes, emails and voice calls in an archive for access by authorities, cellphone calls can be monitored only with the permission of a judge.
Operators who fail to implement the act after the 18-month period will be liable to a R100 000 fine for each day they violate it.
While businesses are happy with the new initiative to combat crime, many citizens are not amused.
| 'It's an infringement on my right to privacy' |
Accountant Bheki Bukhosini, who, as a contract user, will have to re-register his details with his provider, told The Star: "It is a waste of time. People can get a SIM card from anywhere and I don't know how the act will control this. It may help to counter crime, but I am not sure if it is ethical."
Angry about the new law, Adrian Gerber, a sound engineer from Bassonia, and a contract user, said: "I won't register my phone. It's an infringement on my right to privacy."
His colleague, Mpho Manne, a prepaid user, agreed. His phone was for his private use, he said.
- This article was originally published on page 11 of The Star on July 02, 2009
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