Da Calls For Tougher Rica Rules In Crime Fight

Speaking to TechCentral on Wednesday, Kgobisa-Ngcaba said the Rica Act, which governs Sim card registration in South Africa, needs to be relooked, with new rules introduced - either through an amendment to the law or through regulation - to make it much more difficult for vendors to open and pre-register Sim cards on behalf of their clients.

This practice is widespread, as a previous investigation by TechCentral uncovered.

Kgobisa-Ngcabas comments come after police minister Senzo Mchunu - replying in writing to a question she posed to him in parliament - told her that 62 of extortion cases investigated by the police involved the use of unregistered Sims. She posed the question in her previous role as a member of the portfolio committee on justice constitutional development.

The problem is that enforcement of Sim card registration rules is difficult, and the police do not have the manpower to "go from spaza shop to spaza shop" looking for breaches of Rica.

"Many countries, including Nigeria, the UAE, the Philippines, Sweden and India, have implemented stricter measures to ensure proper Sim card registration. Some countries use biometric verification, which links Sim cards directly to a user's physical identity, thereby reducing anonymity for criminals and improving law enforcement capabilities," it added.