The Communications Risk Information Centre (COMRiC), says concerns about weaknesses in South Africa’s SIM card registration process should be taken seriously, warning that pre-RICA’d and improperly registered SIMs are helping criminals perpetrate social engineering scams, impersonation fraud and other forms of digital crime.
Speaking ahead of World Telecommunication Day on Sunday, 17 May, COMRiC says it supports the effective implementation and enforcement of RICA while also backing practical enhancements that can strengthen identity verification, improve compliance, and assist law enforcement in tracing criminals more effectively.
RICA is the Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of Communication-related Information Act and is South Africa’s law governing, among other things, the registration of SIM cards and the lawful interception of communications.
COMRiC CEO, Advocate Thokozani Mvelase, says the communications sector accepts that it has a role to play in ensuring that SIM registration controls are properly implemented and effective.: “Concerns about the SIM registration process are reasonable. When pre-RICA’d SIM cards are used to facilitate fraud, consumers are harmed, investigations are made more difficult and the integrity of the communications ecosystem is weakened. We support fixing that.”
He says reliable customer identification and verification are central to the fight against digital crime and are aligned with international anti-money laundering principles, including the requirement to know and verify the identity of customers.
“SIM registration is one of the first lines of defence. If that process is weak or inconsistently applied, criminals can exploit the gap. Strengthening it is in the interests of consumers, law enforcement, industry, and the country as a whole,” Mvelase says.
COMRiC says mobile network operators have a responsibility to ensure that registration processes are properly implemented and that weaknesses which enable pre-RICA’d SIMs to circulate are addressed. At the same time, it stresses that the fight against digital crime cannot rest on one sector alone.
“To tackle this effectively, everyone must do their part. Operators must strengthen their controls, but the broader system also must work, from reliable identity databases to enforcement, investigation, and prosecution. Digital crime thrives where there are gaps across the chain,” says Mvelase.
The organisation says stronger SIM registration controls can make a meaningful contribution to combating social engineering fraud, account takeovers, SIM-swap attacks, and other communications-enabled crimes. Where criminal activity can be linked more accurately to verified identities, investigators are better positioned to act quickly and build stronger cases.
COMRiC also believes there is room to explore positive future enhancements that could reinforce the effectiveness of the existing framework. These may include more advanced forms of identity verification, such as biometric tools, as part of a broader multi-layered approach.
Mvelase says any such enhancements should be considered constructively, with a focus on what is practical, proportionate and rights-respecting: “Technology can assist, but it cannot operate in isolation. Any enhancement must be supported by trusted databases, secure processes, proper oversight, and protections that ensure legitimate users are not unfairly excluded from access to communications services.”
He adds that a stronger identity verification ecosystem would benefit not only the telecommunications sector, but also financial services, e-commerce, law enforcement, and consumers more broadly.
COMRiC says the issue should not be framed as a dispute between government and operators, but as a shared national challenge requiring collaboration. Government, regulators, law enforcement agencies, mobile operators, financial institutions, and civil society all have a role in building a more secure communications environment.
“As a sector, we support effective enforcement of RICA. We also support practical enhancements that can improve implementation, help investigators, protect consumers, and reduce the space in which criminals operate. The objective is not confrontation, but better outcomes.”
COMRiC says it stands ready to collaborate with all relevant stakeholders on measures that strengthen SIM registration, improve identity verification and support South Africa’s broader response to digital crime.