On 1 July 2009, the RICA law has been implemented in South Africa. What is RICA you ask? Its the Regulation of Interception of Communications Act (and Provision of Communication-Related Information Act). This requires everyone that has an active cell phone number or purchases a new Prepaid Starter Pack to register their SIM cards.
All current and new contract, top-up and prepaid customers are required to register their SIM cards. Subscribers who have activated their cellphone numbers before the 1st of July 2009 have to register their personal details against that cellphone number / SIM card in order to comply.
Subscribers have 18 months to comply with this act. New starter pack customers will be required to register a new SIM card and provide their personal details. New cellphone numbers / SIM cards will only be activated on the cellphone network once the SIM card has been registered.
What is required when registering a SIM card?
When registering a SIM card persons are required to have their cellphone number, full names and surname ID number or passport number handy. The South African Green bar-coded ID document or Temporary ID certificate or Passport will be sufficient to confirm proof of identity.
A document that includes the SIM card holder’s name and residential address (eg. bank statement, municipal rates, cellphone or retail account, existing lease, rental or credit agreement, insurance policy, current TV or motor vehicle license) will be required to confirm proof of residence.
Informal settlement residents will be required to provide an official letter and / or an affidavit from a school, church or retail store where they receive their mail.
When is RICA compliance required?
RICA compliance is required if you own a SIM card. It’s also required if you’re paying a cellphone contract for yourself. RICA compliance is also required if a family member’s cellphone bill is in your name or if you are a parent or guardian of minors using SIM cards.
Compliance is also required if you are transferring a SIM card from another individual’s name into your name (required for contract and prepaid subscribers) and if you port your cellphone number to another network. There is no registration fee, it’s free.
Before you start screaming “Big Brother”, hold on and think about this for a second. Yes, it’s not nice to know that some cell phone company has your personal details on file just because you own a cell phone or a SIM card. Yes, it does truly sounds like Big Brother is watching. But, we live in South Africa, not in a first world country with a low crime rate.
We do have problems with crime in this country and criminals were abusing the system in order to have a free-reign in South Africa. This might change if everyone is RICA compliant. The way persons sell 2nd hand phones via classifieds publications could probably change significantly as well.
Under the old law criminals could purchase as many SIM cards as they liked without providing an address for registration. The SAPS were not always keen to investigate a case further if a prepaid cell number was involved since no address was kept on file. That might change in the near future. The whole idea of making it harder for criminals to operate in South Africa sounds like a good one to me.
But like with most good ideas in South Africa, the question remains whether this will be properly enforced or not. A few years ago fines were introduced in South Africa for persons talking on their cellphones whilst driving. I still see plenty motorists using their cell phones whilst zipping through traffic though. Only time will tell if RICA is going to be a detergent for crime.
Watch this space for updates in the Technology category on Running Wolf’s Rant.
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199 Comments
I agree with the ideology … my only concern is the realization that if your cellphone is stolen and the thieves use your cell in a criminal act … you as the owner of the cellphone (sim card) become responsible for their actions.
One now has to report a cellphone / simcard stolen, even if you are on prepaid. If you don’t, and criminal activity is recorded using your simcard (albeit by unknown entities) the authorities will arrest you for all actions leading from the use of said sim card. This is a little too close to home for me!!!
PitwallAntix: Okay, I did not think about that aspect of it all, but still, this could reduce the amount of scams run by criminals out there. Just have to be lightning fast and report your cell phone as stolen.
i just went and bought a prepaid phone and SIM card after losing my other. Couldn’t understand after getting back from the shops why it refused to recharge – and just gave some strange error message to contact customer service (which is always SOOO fun to do!)… I had to google this to find out why i couldn’t activate it.. now i’m told by the provider i gotta go back to the shops, bring in id, blahblahblah to get the thing working. sheesh… the guys selling mobiles should really know about this, so they can inform customers. Anyways, thanks for the info!
RolfHarris: Just shows you, good ideas, but not enforced? 😛
well it’s enforced in the sense that i can’t use my brand spanking new phone and SIM ’til i go in with my documents and register – but this means queuing up to deal with (invariably incompetent) mobile phone customer service people…
in 18 months time i foresee a lot of chaos in the mobile phone customer call centres… (oh wait – a lot MORE chaos than the norm ) 🙂
RolfHarris: That sux! Hope you get that sorted out soon 🙂 The Mobile Networks are so useless in this country. I’m so sick of receiving calls from Cell C offering me ANOTHER contract phone!
Well, now that they’re going to have your house address, maybe they’ll personalise it a bit more and start doing house calls to offer you a new contract? At 7:30. Riiight as you’re about to sit down to dinner…
I’ve been using the same sim for years, I think its a good idea but you can always go for a sim swop if your phone gets stolen, to prevent criminals using your sim? Wont make any difference to me just time consuming to go and register and all of that PAPER WORK!! LOL but thanks for the info I didnt know about it.
Alet: Thanks for the comment. It’s good to see that we’re getting the bigger picture from all angles here 🙂
I think the idea is good, but the intentions behind it might not be so good. We’re led to believe registering with RICA benefits us (the customer) in the long run. After watching Zeitgeist recently I’m trying to look at things from a different point of view. If we’ve all registered (we’re just told we must), what is next? Perhaps if you “step out of line” you could be disconnect from a network and have your cellphoned barred. Seems our liberties are being taken away bit by bit (very subtly of course…as it is for our own good?).
Who actually trusts the minions of Selebi and the NIA with legislation allowing them to tap, monitor and record ALL your electronic communications??? The scope for abuse by state institutions is massive and the upside is quite small, considering the massive invasion of privacy that RICA constitutes.
Invading the privacy of millions of law-abiding citizens is not going to make an iota of difference to the incidences in the SAPS/Metro of corruption, lack of training, criminality, laissez faire attitudes and bone idleness…
BTW, providers are compelled to keep records for FIVE YEARS – what for, apart from to allow fishing expeditions by our less than trustworthy security apparatus???
RICA stinks and no justification by Minister (Let’s see if we can bugger it up further) Radebe will suffice…let us all just hope it’s implemented as well as the taxi recap programme.
James: Thanks for the comment. Check out The Obama Deception as well, that is quite thought provoking as well.
Nonky: I guess you’re right about our privacies being violated. Privacy is still huge in South Africa though, compared to the UK & the United States we still have loads more rights. Let’s hope the SA government doesn’t start using False Flag Operations to try and trick us into giving up something else.
Yes, maybe is it far fetched but maybe it is the introduction of the registration for the future cashless society? I saw the info that the regestration for the smartcard in the future will require and realise this maybe the introduction of all!!!
Hi guys just a quick question if you had the oppertunity to do this from home would you?
Uploading docs and entering your details and submitting it via the web in stead of going to a store?
This is nothing other than a first attempt at infringing privacy of citizens. Don’t get me wrong, I would love a world where we could trust our govenments, law makers and policing agencies, but I live in reality. With this on file they can track where you are day and night with great accuracy if your phone has GPS or even within a few hundred meters if they are using triangulation with the towers. Who is to say that the database is secure. Hackers have been around longer than the people putting this system into place, why should I trust that a tender system that will go with the cheapest option available is going to keep my information safe. And what about those calls…”Hi Mr. X could I just have a minute of your time?” How many of those are we going to get. I wont even go into advertising/spam smses. These are all small steps that are being introduced into locking us down. Next is the censorship of information, then the complete removal of our right to free speach. What next? Labotomise all of us, until the human race is nothing but a drone workforce enriching the live of a very few powerful demagogs. I have watched Zeitgeist, Endgame and the new Obama moive by Alex Jones. Nothing in them surprized me at all. I have been researching and seen this in the works since 1994. We are running out of options to keep ourselves “free” as individuals and even as groups of individuals. Once they have taken all of our rights away and establised an authoritarian state covering the entire globe. There will only be one course of action left to those seeking freedom, and many will perrish in the fight to get it back. But hey that is just my oppinion.
I agree with all that is said here in all the comments, and it makes one wonder. however, i saw a word that actually makes me quite sad. The word hacker… why is it so that some words are changed to negative meanings? Originally, the word “hacker” meant “someone who programs a computer and/or write computer programs and utilities”. Nowadays it is understood as someone who breaks into computer systems and steals data. Really sad. (Just an off topic point I needed to discuss). Anyways, this RICA business really scares people. (Me as a programmer, maybe discussing confidential sourcecode with someone else) Well, it makes a person wonder. Do we read to much in the RICA business, or are we still ignorant about their real intentions? YIKES!!!!
Pax: Thank you for your comment. Let’s hope we don’t end up in a “police state” like the US and the UK.
Utter nonsense, I can’t believe they are resorting to this. I wouldn’t go overboard like PAX but this is definately an infringement of my privacy. Why is such a law passed without general concent from the public? As a matter of fact this is the first I’ve heard of it! Wake up people, do you live in South Africa??…a good idea is far from a working solution in this country. This is an attempt to regulate all South Africans not just criminals. This is not addressing the real problem, police can’t contain criminals because they do not have the manpower to do so, and I dare say as long as the human soul remains susseptable to coruption so long we shall see criminals thrive in this country.
So stop penalizing law abiding citizens and respect our privacy, rather address the problem at the source.
John Doe: Thank you for your comment, you’ve made some valid points.
This is just another way for the bady black gaverment to controle our lives… I must say this is just a nother pot of f…ken crap
Do you people actually think this is going to work? This is retarded,sorry but it is.
People have fake ID’s, fake Residents, Fake Drivers licences. This will be easily bypassed by criminals just like everything else was before, and the rest of us goody goodies will be “watched”!
I’m not surprised by this development, but why is a random blog (no insult intended) the first place I hear about this?
I hope the citizens of the world are ready for the paradigm change, we’re all under house/workplace arrest and it is slowly going to become clearer to people with a clue.
The documentaries listed above (seen em) can be overly-dramatic, but the main points ring true.
Anyone who thinks this is a good idea is living with blinkers on.
PS. Ori, I assure you this development was cooked up (ages ago) in the Northern Hemisphere by very pale people and sold to our government at some security expo somewhere.
Ori, Ashley, Orpherischt: Thank you for your comments. You all made a valid contribution. I was quite optimistic about this, but it seems to be a bigger infringement on our privacy in South Africa. Lets pray that does not turn into a democracy where the government passes “Patriot Act” like legislation and makes us feel all good about it.
This is just another control structure being put into place by the government to control it’s population. It has nothing to do with fighting criminals, as they just bypass the system.
Look at FICA, that just gives the government control over users info so that SARS can check on you and target specific demographic regions.
Stupid people! Open your eyes and stop just accepting everything… think about it for a minute at least!
wake up and smell the coffee. This is leading up to the Mark of the Beast.In the Kingdom of Lucifer people are controlled.
Yes, I agree completely with that!!!
this law implemented by the government is just another way to control the South African citizenz WHAT about those who can’t reach the RICA station to register their simcards in time. their suppose to take actions on making sure that all people are able to register. so bring RICA stations near to the whole communities including in rural areas.
you must also provide us with websibes where we can register instead of travelling for long distances and do a lots of paper work.
Can someone please tell me which other countries in the world have Rica or something similar
Floyd: Thanks for the comments. Unfortunately I don’t have the links where you can register, but I will post it here if I find it.
Allan: I think there’s similar legislation in India and a few other 1st world countries, but I’m speaking under correction
This means that foreigners visiting the country won’t be able to purchase and use pre-paid SIM cards while on holiday in SA. Really stupid, well done SA government, once again!
Are foreigners driving unregistered cars on our roads? Use same analogy. still think it’s stupid?
What I dont understand is the fact that as a contract user Vodacom already have copies of all those documents. Since it is a requirement to present them in order to qualify for a contract. And correct me if I am wrong but dont Vodacom MAIL you there magazine to your HOME ADDRESS? Why the hell pray tell must I now go into the Vodashop to go show them these things AGAIN?? Oh wait never mind, our country is run by bafoons that dont think further than the one braincell they have. They should add Common-sense to the endangered species list.
RICA – a way to remove your right to privacy. i will never sign my right to privacy away just so that the government has a reason to become a dictatorship. they may take away my mobile but they’ll never stop me talking the truth!
and the tru8th is that the government is stealing our rights. if they wanna stop crime they should monitor politicians phones. njot the desperate public who has to resort to crime because our government steals all the african aid
such a legislation is against our constitution. they should look at the cause of crime – bad governance.
Tautona: It’s one this kind of thing for cars, but do you really think has any business to know what phonecalls citizens made in the last 5 years? Really?
MD: Point Taken. Thats why I don’t have a contract at Vodacom 😛
Sarah Leigh Read: Good point. We still have more rights in SA than people have in the US or even the UK. In the US they have the Patriot Act. In the UK they have laws that ban people from protesting in the vicinity of the Houses of Parliament. In the US they have a no fly list. In the UK they enroll you on a “terrorism database” for expressing anti-governmental thoughts.
Nothing wrong with a Vodacom contract. They the best SP in my personal experience. I was just trying to express how stupid they are going about all this.
you know, i will never agree with this RICA Act, its like it is meant for those who have payslip. i went down to register my sim card and to be told i can’t if i don’t have a prove of payment or payslip. the government is controlling us guys, we should do something about this kind behaviour
Government should respect the public’s concerns towards this Act, for instances making it easier for the disadvantaged people to be able to register without going through rough time. last week, this other granny (67 years old), was confused on how to get hold of all those slips of payment because where she comes from, she doesn’t pay any municipality bills…..the government must radicate some of the requirements in order to simplify this process of RICA
Any developments on the online registration
FLOYD: Thanks for the comments. I have found any information about Online Registration. You are right about the Government controlling us. What is next?
Only time will tell if RICA is going to be a “detergent” for crime.
Your points are well taken. However, my wife uses “detergent” to wash my shirts. RICA would certainly be a deterrent to crime.
Regards
Neville
Neville: Thank you for your comment. You’re right about that. Only time will tell.
My children, along with a number of children from neighboring countries, are at boarding school in South Africa – how do they register? What do we do when we visit them over half term? What about all the 2010 visitors?
CF: Unfortunately I do not have the information you seek available, will ask around though and post a follow up post on Running Wolf’s Rant
RICA, I don’t like it already. I have been crooked by RICA. Went last month to do a sim swap after a while i get an sms telling me “thanks for registerin with us:RICA”. That was very dodgy..just imagine what they will do more with all our details.
Marcolin: Luckily I don’t have to go through that again, the last time one of my phones were stolen was in 2007, but still. It seems that this legislation has been hastily passed through and is not being enforced.
RICA……
SINCE RICA ME AS A SIM CARD DISTRIBUTOR IVE LOST LOTS OF COMMISION AND ITS MAKING MY LIFE DIFFICULT.ITS TAKEN AWAY MY LIVELY HOOD.
I HOPE THE SERVICE PROVIDERS CAN REALLY DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
Haroon: Thank you for your comment 🙂
I don’t see how RICA will prevent any form of crime. In fact, I think it will increase cellphone robberies. If the criminal elements are not able to purchase their own phones and/or SIM cards, they will resort to stealing them from the people who can, use them until they get blocked, and then steal another, using whatever force they can.
Tracking the location of a SIM card is possible using the towers even without RICA.
The government should stop focus on creative, unrealistic ways of combating crime, and rather focus on building a formidible, efficient police force. Stunts like FICA, RICA and whatever other ICA’s the government comes up with serve only to make the lives of honest people more difficult, and do nothing to deter criminals.
Do we have statistics available for how many crimes FICA, after being in effect for years, has prevented, or how many criminals have been brought to book because of it?
Richard: Good question. I wonder if those statistics are available? Or maybe government is too shy to get those public because the figures are probably higher than before FICA and RICA.
Of course it big brother, and the reason is very simple.
1) No where does it state what they do with this information, and who has access to it. WHY?
2) If you phone is stolen, they give you no number to report it. WHY?
3) If it it stolen, do you think the phone companies will care as long as the asshole still keeps buying airtime.
My money says it’s the USA asking South Africa to do this (forced coercion) there is a large muslim population here, and they want to track them.
Jow: Thank you for bring up some valid points. I don’t think it’s the US asking us to do this. I think it’s the Global Elite who wants every country to be in line with global policies.
Running Wolf, have you read Nineteen Eighty Four? Correct me if I’m wrong but Minipax created the war (or the crime), Minitrue exaggerate it, Miniplenty are telling us our phones HAVE to be registered or we’ll be rationed and Minilove are people like you, telling us we need it to save ourselves from the evil. What next? Separate men and woman into their own camps to prevent rape? The ANC media (SABC and various papers) has already implemented the 2 minute hate. Bafana are getting supported to be the winners of Fifa 2010 and if you don’t you’re being unpatriotic. War has become Peace (cops shooting innocents), Freedom has become slavery (rates, tax, power and water price increases) and Ignorance is now strength (Thabo’s AIDS, melemas racism, JZ’s innocence etc). I’d say this is the first step to our loss of Civil Liberties, but the first was reached years ago. And what I really want to know is, when is O’Brien coming to visit and does he prefer tea or coffee?
Winston: I know about 1984, but I have not read the book. I know what it’s about though. I have seen the movie version starring John Hurt. You’ve brought up some valid points. Thank you for your comment.
i hereby understanding what rica is.But the one thing i don’t understand is your law doesn’t provide its conclusion to the people even from the day when it was implement,so helpfully with you can you please send me your conclusion and your goal for your new law.So i think it cold be easier for people to understand,and please postpone your closing date because to register with rica ,it takes time and it is not simple as you say in your advertisement.It will be my pleasure for me if u can send me a reply and i hope you’ll consider my request because i am so curious about your law.With honour i will appreciate your answer
Harrison: Thank you for your comment. Unfortunately I don’t deal with registration, but you might find information on what you’re looking at this link: http://www.mtnsp.co.za/MTNServices/RICA/Pages/Overview.aspx
Thanks for the information. Just one problem! I live in Namibia and often have to go to South Africa for various reasons, about four to five time a year. Each time I purchase a SIM card in the nearest town from the border, with airtime. It works out much cheaper than roaming with my Namibian SIM. What happens if you are touring around South Africa for say two months, have a tango- pay as you go, run out of money on your card, cannot top-up because you are in South Africa, and now cannot buy a SIM card without a SA ID or passport, and you still have lots of time touring around, over in SA, then a cellphone is useless, what is the point of having a cellphone then, it is a big problem, as there are not many public phones around, and those around do not work. So what now, pray tell!!
Penny: Thank you for the feedback. You raise interesting questions 🙂
Anyone who thinks this will stop crime is going to be disappointed.
It is a charter for thieves to steal cell phones. Then the poor owner is going to have to convince police that THEY weren’t involved in crime.
Serious crooks will use stolen phones or use phones registered in foriegn counties. So they’ll be welcoming the hordes of 2010 visitors
In the meantime the authorities will be able to listen in to all your phone calls and use them for what ever purposes they want.
Believe me people, whether the person who wrote this article thinks that it makes a difference whether we are in a third world country or not..
This is a VERY bad idea and we should refuse to participate.
If you follow what is happening worldwide (not in the mainstream media!), you know that systems like this are being pushed through on a mass scale, that invade your privacy and give the government more power over you.
IT IS THE PEOPLE THAT SHOULD BE GIVEN MORE POWER!!!
How would the government officials feel if you could listen in on their conversations whenever we wanted?
Megaphone: Thank you for your comment. You’ve asked a valid question 🙂
Just show us how uninformed we realy are…RICA is not a new law and it ot just deals with your cellphone…it dates back from Jan 2003 and it entails all communications…Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
DarK_Strider: Thank you for the comment 🙂
I bought a prepaid datacard on special, and then bought the SIM seperately. The guy “RICA’d” me, but only took my ID number. Didn’t bother with a proof of address.
So, that renders RICA pretty useless. How many other people will do that? And as for people who register using their local church/school etc. well that just provides an easy out for the very criminals the law is supposed to be catching.
RICA and all the nonsense about nationalisation of mines and banks smacks of old Russia, don’t you think?
Akela: Thank you for your comment 🙂
Rica is invading our private space,we get phone calls from strangers and sales consults.The ICA’s are kak
In principle, the concept of RICA is not a bad idea. However, as many of the other posts have pointed out, the execution of this exercise is questionable. I for one do not trust our current government as far as I could throw them, and I certainly don’t feel comfortable in giving them permission to access any electronic communication that I’ve taken part in.
That being said, I’ve had this discussion with a few people, and one of the “Pro-Rica’s” made a comment, saying that if you’re not a criminal, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about. If you’re not participating in illegal activity, then you should have nothing to hide.
I then point out the fact that it’s a complete infringement of our right to privacy, and whilst I’m no criminal, I want the OPTION of exposing or not exposing certain private conversations, emails etc…
But in reality, what can we do? I mean, WHAT CAN WE DO? We all bitch and moan about it, but I guarentee that all of us will drag ourselves off to our nearest service provider branch, and you’ll hand in all your required documents, and you’ll eventually become RICA’ed. Because if you don’t, you’ll be cut off. That’s the reality. It sucks, and it’s not right, and it’s highly suspect, like so many of the things that the government seems to do, but we really don’t have much of a choice…
Or do we?
Aimee: Thanks you for the comment 🙂 You asked some valid questions. Let’s hope someone responds 🙂
How would i go about finding someone i suspect using a cellphone number in a con. Taking money from somebody under false pretenses.
Serena: You could probably report this to the SAPS Commercial Branch for investigation. You could also report the number to the Network it belongs as well.
Is i strictly compulsory for one to bring the RICA documents when buying a phone for somebody as a present? i.e. I recently wanted to buy my dad a new from one shop in Nelspruit and they flatlty refused to sell me that phone because I did not bring the documents with me. I stated clearly to them that I was buying the phone fr my dad and he is the one who must register it himself?
What does the law says? What must I do about this shop? Please help the nation.
My Contact number
Cell:0839905948
Sipho: As far as I know you should have the documentation with you. I recently had to get a new SIM card temporarily until I could do a SIM swop to my old number. Even though the SIM card was only 49c I had to have my ID and proof of residence with me. I’m not sure what the law says about buying a phone for someone as a present.
Its deterrent, not detergent.
Just exactly HOW does RICA help prevent crime?
How many cell phones are stolen in South Africa every year?
If u are a criminal would u use ur phone or use one of these stolen phones?
Who then will the police harass? Not the criminal thats for sure – we know from Zimbabwe!!!!
We were innocent voters who’s vote is a secret! Yeah! Right!
The police will harass You! The innocent guy who handed over your ID and address “because it will help prevent crime†—NOT! Wake up South Africa!
This RICA law is adding to the police state so they can waste your taxes listening into your conversations.
In addition my mail box will be full of junk mail. U don’t think the cell phone companies are not going to capitalise on you supplying ur address, male/female and age? They send enough junk SMS without my details.
Where is this information kept – google for BOTNET BUTTERFLY OR MARIPOSA and see where MOST of the infections resided. Do u think the big 3 cell co’s don’t get these worms?
It’s unbelievable u and others here on this forumn think this is good! This needs to be killed here and now.
Mad Bob: Thank you for your comment.
I agree with Mad Bob on some points. You really are stupid to think that this will deter criminals. All the criminals will do now, is shoot the victims of cellphone theft in the head, so that they can’t report the phones stolen. Previously they would just steal them.
I suspect the real motivation behind RICA is for paranoid ANC officials to eaves drop on the media, audit committees etc. to keep them ahead of the pillaging game. What about normal telephones, IRC, Skype, and email – is this next on the list or do criminals not use these technologies or are they next?
The government must come clean as to the real intent of RICA!!!! What happened to our privacy rights? Maybe we should all boycott the registration.
My name is Ed: Thanks for the comment 🙂
what about all the vistors for the world cup? nobody overseas knows anything about this law.
@Mad Bob is right. This is bad news.
This is not going to stop criminals’. They can easily get around this by supplying false details that can be registered by a friend working at any place selling sim cards.
You’re right @Running Wolf, we don’t live in a first world country, South Africa is plagued with criminal activity and that’s exactly why Rica will not work in South Africa.
There have been hundreds of cases involving corruption at all levels in the police, government and public sector in recent years. Now we are providing the police with more power, more power that they can abuse.
This is just going to be a money machine for corrupt police official.
Do you trust the police and government officials in South Africa? I don’t!
RICA – conceived by idiots, implemented by idiots and operated by idiots.
http://handshake.co.za/2010/rica-act/
Mike: Thank you for your comments and feedback 🙂
Don’t think this is big brother at all – contract subscribers detail’s are already in their service providers database, why not the same for prepaid SIM card users?
We’re a long way behind most of the rest of the world when it comes to anti-fraud and crime prevention measures.
Daniel: Thank you for the comment 🙂
my contract phone was stolen, is it possible to trace my phone????? 🙁
Bianca: I’m not sure about that. Check with the technical division of the SAPS or with your network provider. As far as I know the handset can be tracked if it’s switched on.
Why can’t we register online
Pule: That’s a good question. I’m wondering that myself.
Who regulates RICA?
Vina: The Cellphone industry in South Africa as per order by the South African government (as far as I know)
When I asked for a number to contact RICA, I was referred to ICASA.
But who do we phone? We are launching a new product and it has a global sim card. We need to clarify some urgent issues with RICA. Any idea?
Vina: Try enquiring via one of the cell phone networks in SA (MTN, Vodacom, Cell C or Virigin Mobile). They might be able to refer you to the correct person. Unfortunately I don’t have contact details for what you are looking for.
You could also try contacting ICASA about this.
Off the topic: Why are MTN and Vodacom’s rates so high in comparison to Cell C? Recently Vodacom’s network is weakening, so hooray for Cell C. Will be changing from Vodacom to Cell C and by the way i’m a RICA agent.
Fabco: As far as I know Cell C makes use of Vodacom’s network and they don’t have proper 3G or HSDPA.
A desperate as I am, I think you might help me. My sister has corned by a lady who claim to be my friend. So she asked for my number and made a missed call with her cell c number, then ran away with my sister’s bag with her valuables including cash. A case has openned but they seem to be very slow and not helping , is it posible for me to call rica with the case number + constable name to refer to and the thief number? Please please help.
Boo Booo: You should take this matter up with the SAPS or find out more about RICA from your service provider.
Hi.
I might be asking a question thats already asked, if this is so please refer me to the answer.
My question is: “How does RICA fight or prevent crime?”
i took in a maid with the cellphone number ### ####### with the name Matebatso. She worked 5 months for me stole a lot of things and left. She stays in Khutsong Carletonville. How can I get full details of her to open a theft case against her?? Her birthdate is said to be the 21st of September.
Maritia: Maybe check with Vodacom / MTN / her cell network, unfortunately I do not know.
Surely the exact same argument you’re using against those proposing that this is too Orwellian could be used to justify putting cameras in our houses. I could see that being even more effective as a crime-stopper. It seems to me that this is a clear invasion of privacy, and is far too open to abuse.
I am a rica urgent. How do I get the rica registration machine?
Ndivhuho: Please check with your Mobile Operator.
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This law should have been implemented long ago. It makes it super easy for law enforcers to trace and find the criminal behind a cellphone number. Also, if you lose your phone through theft and/or otherwise, the perpetrator would be stupid to use a registered simcard. Think about this, all landline numbers are registered and all have names behind and/or against them. Thanks.
@ Thando: Do YOU trust government with all your data, including who you phoned and when, what websites you viewed, as well as your location? Would you allow the Shaiks (the spooks / NIA) to go sniffing in your personal affairs? Not me. This act is an invasion of privacy and permanently undermines your rights under the constitution, which, in turn, fundametally undermines our democracy. RICA is a law promulgated by fascist states, not a democracy. If the Nats had DARED enact a law like this everyone would’ve shat themselves…this is a electronic state of emergency, no less. The prupose of this act is not to catch crooks, it’s to spy on law-abiding citizens…
OK…So what does one do? Can ‘they’ cut me off?? Will they? I don’t want to have a new cellphone number now. How do I keep my number and not give over all my info?
PS: Does this RICA requirement apply to “contract subscribers” who, as stated above have already given them the personal details?
Besides being idotic like most of the ANC policies, it’s also unconstitutional like many ANC policies. I will not register! I don’t care if they cut me, it will save me lots of cash each month and I will have a much more relaxed life with people having to contact me on my home phone. Anybody who registers is as stupid as the ANC government.
how do i get hold of rica coz there 1 ass that keeps on miscalling me and wen i phone him/her dont speak… please email me the contact number thanx… belim619@gmail.com
Mohammed: Contact your service provider. I’m sure that they’ll be able to assist.
i have registered my three cellphone numbers when i received them now they are bothn blocked how do i reactivate them cause i know i have registered them in rica.
Emmah: Contact your service provider about this.
“Who is watching the fox?!” – Jacob and the other gravy train robbers steal more from the South African public than petty criminals ever could. To some extent they also create the environment of crime and set a most wonderful example of how to really go big.
Don’t forget “criminals” by definition don’t obey the law and will hop around the RICA hurdle with ease.
I too might be part of the crime statistics if I couldn’t find a decent job and had hungry mouths to feed. Let’s look to the cause and create more jobs by reducing “taxing aka legalised theft” and working on letting every man get on with generating jobs.
Two things … I do not have anything at all registered in my name … no utility bill or telephone account, and no accounts anywhere. Secondly, I only have the old un-barcoded ID book. What do I do?
Carol: Please contact your Cellphone service provider about this. I’m not a RICA expert.
@ Carol:
RE ID: Old ID should be sufficient for RICA (“identification document on which his or her photo, full names and identity number, whichever is applicable, appear;”).
RE ADDRESS: you can attest to an affidavit at your local SAPS station; OR
Ask your cellphone provider to post your cellphone account to your residential address (cellphone accounts are sufficient proof of address)
Senor Geek: Thanks for the useful advice 🙂
How does this RICA story work? Can they catch criminals who comits fraud? Because today i got an SMS from this no.0735495199 saying that i have won R620 000.00 in the Nokia Yearly Promotion, and that i should call mr. victor on this no. 0733386425 for claims. I called him but he sounded suspicios so i checked it out and found out that its a scam and that MTN also knows about so it is warning people not to fall for it. my question is why can’t this RICA help in catching these people?
Simphiwe: Good question
RICA! . . . to fight terrorism & crime. that is what the Government tells the “sheep” (an obedient waged-slave of the modern economic slavery era) what the sheep does not know is that not only is that a secondary agenda but it is also not possible – how so?
1.Terrorism is a self created enemy that does not fight a free humanity but fights for free humanity against the secret agenda to enslave the world – so there is no! benefit for a free humanity to fight Terrorism, but only serves the “masters”
2. the is no way in hell that the Police will suddenly trace down criminals by cell phone usage, not when they have failed for 60 years to dust a crime scene for finger prints, go to a government structure Home Affairs, match the finger prints and arrest somebody ( that is why you get people charged with 20 counts of the same crime, cause even though they have the finger prints they wait till they catch the criminal (besides a crimeless world does not benefit the “masters”)
3. THE REAL PRIMARY AGENDA IS TOTAL CONTROL OVER THE “SHEEP” – now when the “sheep” even thinks about protesting against the “masters” they can shut you down fast before you can gain any momentum let alone support – THIS IS TO COMPLETELY REMOVE OUR RIGHT TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST WHAT IS COMING: in ancient years the master had to dress, house & feed the slaves – in the economic slavery era the slave must dress, house & feed them selves – but a consciousness is growing and the “masters” will never set the slave free, so now you think you are free cause you cannot see or touch the “bars” – well you are about to go back to ancient times & see & feel the “bars”
DO NOT RICA, NEVER JOIN THE POLICE & MILITARY, MEDIA IS NOT NEWS, IT IS OWNED BY THE “MASTERS” – EDUCATION IS NOT EDUCATION IT IS CONDITIONING and finally the best advice but will seem bad advice: STOP GOING TO CHURCH (you do not need God cause you are God) – these are all institutions that belong to the “masters” to condition us into the “sheep” we are today – an obedient waged-slave.
Thabo: Thank you for your comment 🙂
Well spoken Thabo. But what is to be done….part from just informing folk…?
I’m in Canada. I’ve been told by Vodacom that in order to register a number I’ve had with them for 13 years under RICA, I must transfer my SIM card to a family member in South Africa, who then will be responsible for it. My family doesn’t love me that much.
That, or I could hop on a plane and register. Yeah, right.
I’d let the number lapse, except I use it for online banking OTPs.
Any other bright ideas?
Randolph: Good question. Thank you for the comment.
I know that Std Bank allows OTP via email… Then, you can tell our fatcat friends at the “Big V’ to get @#$%ed.
Until what date do I have time to RICA? Whats the cut-off date?
I think the cut-off date is the 31st of December 2010. Contact your service provider to confirm.
I don’t understand why you need proof of residence. I don’t have bills that come to my home address, I have a P.O.Box number and besides the house is in my wife’s name, so it was a mission to get proof of residence, marriage certificate etc.
My question is, “How do people who live in informal settlements get proof of residence????” This sounds like a big scam to me, yet again the minority are being picked on. Give us a break already.
SEMOG: Thanks for making some valid points. Good question.
How the hell do you get RICA’d? I recently decided that i want to switch from 1 service provider to another. So I bought a new SIM card and and did the whole RICA thing. Their system confirmed that I was registered and would receive an SMS shortly with my number. A week later I phoned the service provider to ask what was going on. They could not help. I went and bought another SIM card from another service provider and RICA’d again with the new simcard. Guess What? The same story from 2 difrent service providers. So now I am asking how the hell do you RICA?
Mr X Treem: Enquire from the service providers. I’ve done it twice in the last year. It’s really not that complicated.
The act can be reversed by the constitutional court based on section 14 of the Bill of Rights and section 36 of the constitution, or by way of a petition.
Phatmouse: It might a good idea to get South Africans to start a petition against this.
Ok so say now I have RICA’ed my mobile datacard, which I use for online banking. Now can any fool with access to my RICA info get hold of all my passwords? If so then this will lead to far more crime then what it is “supposed” to curb.
You raise some interesting questions. Thank you for the comment 🙂
I have a question and I really hope you can help me or direct me to the right place.I was arm robbed recently and the robber took my two cell phones. Luckily (don’t know if it’s luck or not) my brother did something on my phones that once my SIM card is taken out of the handset and a new one is inserted, it immediately sends a message to my mother that my SIM card is removed and a new SIM card inserted and what the number of the SIM card is. I phoned this number and this guy told me he bought my phone from a guy who was selling 2 phones, exactly the phones he stole from me,I promised to give him back the money he spent on the phone if he can give it back, (I know he bought the phone cheap and it’s very expensive phones, worse my Blackberry has got my everything, from my my contacts, to my diary and my important commitments and my meetings so I was willing to just lose that money) so we agreed that we will do the exchange. He must have spoken to someone after speaking to me and was told he’s getting himself into trouble, because when I called again he did not want to give me his address. I have opened a case, but the police cannot do much. I went to the point of caontacting MTN to find out if the number has been RICA registered and by whom to what address & MTN could only tell me that it is registered and on what date but cannot give me further details whithout a court order, which I understand because of people’s privacy. I informed the Inspector who’s on this case but she tells me it will takes months to get the court order 3 months minimum. Is the no other alternative because this guy who supposedly is the buyer is also a thief now, he knows he bought stolen goods and they are both running around scott free. Is this not exactly the reason why we are supposed to RICA our phones, to minimise crime in South Africa,when I already have the contact number of the perpetrator and I know his number is registered, I also have a case number that there was a robbery, we need details to stop these people from commiting more crime, why must we wait 3 months or more just to get a court order to put them in jail, why can we not go just we the case number that proves a vase has been opened against this matter. What is the point of RICA then, we have all the resources but hands are tied again. Please advise if you know of any other way we can go about getting this person.you are more that welcome to reply directly to me e-mail address.
Landie: I’m unsure of this but I will try and get the word out there for you 🙂
First of all I thought that if you send your details to RICA, it is confidential, including your cell number. This does not seem to be true as ever since I have RICA-ed my number I get calls from how knows how. Secondly these scams that are going on. I received a Nokia scam from cell 0726599184, then to call 0783386555. If these numbers are RICA-ed, then why can’t these people be caught? You have to RICA your SIM to get the number. Hello, where did they get these numbers from?
Upset: You make some valid points. Its fairly easy to RICA a number but it does not seem to make the cops’ jobs easier to trace criminals…
My question is – if you have a contract phone where you gave full details and proof of residence, why do you need to register again? MTN have already all my details + proof of residence. I can understand if you moved but if you did not why must you register again?
Mossie: That is a good question. I’m a MTN Contract subscriber myself.
I have not heard somebody talk so much rubbish in a long time and actually believe themselves…which is obvious from the tome used in your wonderfull little letter above.
Saying what you’re saying above is saying guns kill not people…the criminals will always have a way or find a way to evade or avoid the system to get by.
It just like typical socialist/democratic/communist agenda all over. The fact is because 63% of South Africans of which 62/63% are black…live in informal or rural settlements!
So they have NO ADDRESS…at least not the type wehere the cops can show up and arrest their monkey arse!
Same as with FICA and SARS…it is unconstitutional to force me to have a bank account just because SARS are to lazy or incompetent to pay me the money they owe…and I by the way get PAID every year by SARS…cause I am smart and have a brain…and a woman named Heidi Storbeck pays this to me in CASH in PTA…
My point being…RICA is unconstitutional and I have started the proccess to file an Class Action Lawsuite against the Phone companies…and the Government just like I did last time against the banks and the Government and won!
I happen to know a man who does a lot of wire transfers for Nigerian scam artist who really are only running online gambling casinos…well guess what…they don’t register for FICA or RICA or their guns…do you think that this initiative lets call it that from this moronic SA government is anything else other than what Pavin Gordon said; 87% of all income Tax in this country is pai by ,….wait for it Whites! And 97% of all the wealth in this country is owened by ….wait for it….WHITES!
It is simply more profiling by our wonderfull black brothers so they don’t have to come up with any ideas…like stupid fricken World Cup in 2010 that only yielded 27% return after FIFA boosted the coffers!
They are lazy uneducated 3rd world people and weather we have RICA or FICA or FIFA…no pun intended…it will not save this country…untill aids have equalized it with mother Nature!
Sincerely
The Pissed off White Guy from Johannesburg!
Question: Isn’t RICA suppose to be working hand in hand with the SAPS? If so why is it difficult to find someone who has RICAed? My stuff has been stolen and if the phone was tracked in time i could have found the calprit. Now the SAPS are doing an investigation but if they don’t get help from RICA how are they suppose to track what calls where made and to which cellphone. Whatever the RICA system is someone better do something to see that thiefs are caught and sentenced as such. I would be glad if you could at least refer me to someone that can help and please do not refer me to my network because they are as useless as everyone who is struggling to find someone living in south africa and stealing for their people.
Major: Unfortunately I’m not sure who to refer you to. Try contacting ICASA to find out who is supposed to help you.
Is there any way to do a reverse phone check for cell phone numbers? I wanted to find out who the number belongs to or any other details?
Wasp: I’m unsure who can help you in this regard, maybe someone can help?
@ Major: under RICA, the info you refer to can only be released to the SAPS if they have obtained a Court order authorising the release of the info to them.
Thank you Senor Neek
Senor neek, as I understand it, the whole purpose of this rica act is to give “them” permission to intercept and listen to our call and communications, without the need of a court order. So By registering with rica, I unknowingly give them permission to access my communications freely.
Hi LM, The comms, records and data are considered “private” and may only be released by the operators to law enforcement upon receipt of a court order instructing same.
Well, that’s the way it’s supposed to work…as far as my reading of the Act indicates.
Thank you Senor Neek
I understand the principal behind the RICA law but which ever way you look at it it is a big brother scenario. Who is going to watch the watchers? They can now listen in to your private conversations with your family, bank etc and rob you blind. If our government employees were less corrupt I would feel happier about this law.
For you to say it’s okay for them to listen in is for me not acceptable. First of all how do they know who is a criminal? You could be having an innocent conversation with somebody and get flagged? Before they would’ve to get a warrant to use your conversation in court proceedings and now?
Also remember they can now read your e-mail where you might put sensitive info ie banking details etc and if this were any other country it might be okay but we have one of the most corrupt governments in the world.
Instead of promoting this you should be asking more questions 🙁
Please be informed on the truth, and send this to all you know.
RICA registration is now an unconstitutional privacy evasion law passed by the south African government. But what is it REALLY about?
RICA (secrecy bill, communications act) is to make it easier for the government to intercept or spy on those they deem an enemy. Please note that the country does not have any enemies worth mentioning. The enemies of the republic is now anyone they take interest in, and will actually be the following:
1) Anyone influential and part of an opposition party (so democracy is down the sewer, as with privacy)
They also want to spy on anc people hanging around a cope / DA office possibly trading secrets.
2) The tracking and surveillance (or worse) of any individual or court witness / whistle blower on the wrong side of exposed anc corruption.
3) The tracking of any anti anc or right wing blogger revealing inconvenient truths, in view for arrests on trumpet up charges as intimidation or worse (see UG, bert oosthuizen case)
Because this RICA and its true uses are unconstitutional, undemocratic, criminal and downright ridiculous, they do the following to convince you to swallow this rubbish:
1) It is now the law. You will obey our law, and we will legislate anything we like. Eg, land grabs is illegal, so we will legalize is and call it ‘land reform and rural developmentâ€
2) They tell you it is for crime prevention. We will now arrest paedophiles etc. You will make SA a better place.
This is the most unbelievable part of all. Only the dumbest criminal will be caught out from RICA tracking. Criminals that rob a bank do not show up in their legal cars with correct registration plates…right? They hijack cars to use in bank robberies to avoid being identified. So what’s the big deal with stealing a cell phone for this same cause? If anything this will promote an increase in cell phone muggings for criminal use.
Secondly, RICA cannot be effective on crime because of other loopholes besides stolen cell phones. My favourite example that no RICA agent can contest, is you can get a cell contract from Zimbabwe etc, and set it to international roaming, thereby using your mobile without doing the RICA crap. More crime.
Other RICA facts that make their deadline laughable
1) RICA registration deadline was three years ago, with three extension deadlines since (correct me was it four?)
2) In all this time and effort, only 50% of mobile users are registered, with the ‘new’ deadline being in December. Many people do not have the paperwork required. (have you tried to get an ID book from home affairs lately?) So what is my point? My point is this, do you really think that 3 major companies (MTN, VODA & cellC) are going to allow 50% of their subscribers (and revenue) to be cut off and lost on the 31st December 2010? I think not. You will have a few more years of deadline extensions. There is no hurry to comply.
Some additional notes to ponder:
1) Minimum paperwork requirements for those in informal housing is a letter with stamped header from a local church/shebeen claiming where you live and receive mail. Another loophole making crime fighting a joke. Its like the gun control act…only there to disarm the good guys with legal guns and fixed addresses.
2) You think your information is confidential? Did you know you can even RICA register at the cell phone section of a PEP store? Spam heaven is waiting for your cell number.
3) Remember a few short years ago it was unthinkable that your farm would be stolen by the government? It happened. So you want to RICA register and make it easier for them to view your assets and home attached to your politically incorrect surname, for the next step in distribution review? I wouldn’t.
4) So you think that the use of communication interception will be handled responsibly? Mabe the South African Secret Service will ethically judge and review each target to be spied on and grant access responsibly, based on criminal threat and not political motive? HAHA now im laughing. Did you know the boss of the SA secret service is Mo Shaik? Yes, google it! The brother of convicted criminal Shabir Shaik, who is above the law and does not need to serve his jail sentence. Enough said there.
5) Your service provider is not your friend. For them business is business and money is money. It is their official statement that if you have a contract with them, and are cut off due to not registering (not likely) they will still demand their money for the duration of your contract even tho you will not be able to use your mobile or their services. This basically outlines their ethics. This is also where it gets interesting. We just need one person with some backing to challenge this in a court as a business ethics case, possibly involving a communication ombudsman. If this case is won, which it should, it will require all service providers to release all contract holders from paying their contract durations while being cut off the service. This precedent will result in millions of rands lost in revenue for them. They will more likely pay you a few million to keep quiet and not make this case challenge public.
So what can I do?
Do nothing. Do not register as it shall not be in your interests. Personally I will not register before I get cut off, which I believe will not happen on December 31 2010. As we speak the major service providers are in urgent talks with government to extend the deadline once again. Personally I do not believe this can be implemented in the next three years. If I do ever get cut off the service and decide to then register (not before they cut me off if ever) for the sake of cell phone use, I shall go the route of the informal dweller and supply an affidavit type letter from a church stating I live in the shack behind the liquor store. The service provider is happy to accept this, as it meets requirements of registration, and most of all they do not want to lose you as a customer. This way you have not taken it in the bum and handed your details over to those corrupt officials in government that you may not share political views with.
Go RICA register today at your inconvenience, and help us screw you.
I have received a SMS message that I won R95 000-00 on a Nokia Promotion. I am ask to phone 073-882-0387, to arrange for the payment of this amount into my bank account. Is this a scam?
YES. Unless you entered, of course.
Can anybody help me get a free RICA terminal? I am a RICA agent…
i dont understand this rica thing why do you’ll have to force us as South Africans in order to Register for Rica ….at the contact centres of all networks cell c , Mtn , Vodacom , virgin Active ect… they do have ppl that listens to our calls and that can track the call as well now why must we still register for rica and if we dont you wanna cut out lines why?
hey guys my rica starter pack got stolen and i didnt even open it or use it i dont even know my cell number what do i do to safe guard my self, and is the a number to contact rica ?
If they are listening is on us, Who is Listening in on them….I’m not too concerned about the petty criminal runnning on the street we have policing and porper investigative personnel for that. I do believe that this is a short-Cutt for the already poor policing here in South Africa. The biggest criminal who steal million from the republic are those with suits, their corruption goes unpunished. It will continue too , Until we the people stand up against it. Dont be bamboozeld in believing that government is doing this for a better South Africa and to fight crime, LIES LIES LIES, dont be a pawns on a chess board with people who cant play chess
I am curious.
Running Wolf, why are you/do you promote the Rica act? Who do you work for, if I may ask?
Littemountain: It was my aim to give general info about RICA and to give my opinion about it. I don’t work for the government for any of the Network providers. Judging by the comments here the government did a piss poor job of tell people what exactly RICA entails, maybe its time for a follow up post.
Thank you for your reply. I do appreciate your post, and your opinions. Posts like these at least get people talking, and some may find it informative. Thank you.
Littlemountain: This is comment number 159 🙂
Running Wolf: hey my rica starter pack got stolen and i didnt even open it or use it i dont even know my cell number what do i do to safe guard my self, and is the a number to contact rica ?
I am coming to SA on holiday and wanted to buy a sim card for use while I am there – will I need to provide details of my address? I have 14 sim cards for as many countries and I have never been asked for an address! Something dodgy going on here!
RICA is just ANOTHER way to track ANYONE, and the statement that only law enforcement agencies can access it is NONSENSE!
I have a small debt owed to a company from WAY back in 2000.
I have been outside of South Africa for 12 years.
I registered my new pay as you go card a couple of month back.
I have only EVER given the number to family and friends.
Today, I get a call on that cell from a law firm demanding the money owed from way back in 2000.
Ok, I owe the money, and will pay it, BUT, how the hell did they get the number if not from RICA?!
Joe
Which number do I call to find out if my sim card has been registerd, its an MTN sim card
Since I had my cellphone number RICA, I am receiving spam sms and call center sales calls regularly whereas I never/seldom received any before I RICA my phone number.
The first thing that comes to mind is the brutal disregard for one of our fundamental human right to privacy.How is it possable that the goverment can allow (let alone inforce it by law) this basic human right to be violated like this.I’m sure that if this issue was to be taken to the constitutional court, it will never stand.
It seems that not enough thought was given to exactly what this law can cause. Think about this:
If private comunications can be intercepted at will, who can gaurrantee that your private information will remain private? What about your bank details ect, send to you by e-mail.What about the possability of identity theft? What if your private information gets into the wrong hands.Can anybody guarrantee that the goverment has a fool-proof and 100% safe system, that will ensure that none of this sensitive information will EVER leak out? Nobody, not even the goverment or the police should have the right to invade your privacy like this.If you are suspected of criminal activity, a court should decide whether or not enough proof exists to allow for such invation or not.
We all want to stop crime, and this might be a way to help, but it does have the potential to achieve the absolute opposate results with desasterous consequinses.
I feel this is a dangerous law and it should be challanged in the appropriate courts!
what happens if i send an sms to someone whom I don’t want them to know its from me because its personal and just something I wanted to share with them, like “your girlfriend is cheating on you”, but the girlfriend is my best friend, so I don’t want her to know it was from me, if he goes to RICA, asking for my details, will they be given to him?
Uh, Im sure he would just check the number of the sms and compare with his gf to see who it is instead of going to all that trouble of inquiring with rica.. Sms’s are not anonymous u know they come with a cellphone number…
It’s two years after RICA was implemented, and guess what?! We’re still receiving scam, spam and call center sms’s and calls. When is South Africa ever gonna learn that they are far behind in conspiracy. But to have a cellular phone you have to RICA. Well, thumbs down to SA, thumbs down to RICA. How can our information leak out like this? People handling our information, are they trustworthy? I want answers, but all I get is: “I don’t know” What clever response.
This whole RICA thing is a big handfull of BULLSHIT!!!
I keep being told by @lantic that I have to RICA my service with them – mail addresses and domains. I thought that this was only for sim cards. No where is there a number oir web site for RICA, so there is no one to give anybody answers. I called the helpdesk number that is on the RICA machines and it is an automated answer with options and both options told me to refer to the store manager. So I ask you, what is the purpose of the ‘helpdesk’? Just another waste of money?????
Does anyone have an answer for me as to why mail adresses and domains have to be RICA’d?
i want to register my sim card and now is blocked what must i do? the number is 071237283 please help.
When I visit SA, will my UK cellphone refuse to work as I have a UK payg phone which is not registered in the UK. I can buy a simcard here for 40p and do not want the phoine company to have my details so avoiding spam txt messages which plague contract customers. will contract phoines from other countries also be blocked and where can I find out. This is total nonsense, if I was a criminal I would just steal a phone then dump it after the crime so leaving someone else to be prosecuted!!
I lost my phone today. Can RICA trace it?
When was the closing date to rica cause my mom stil receive msgs that they wil diactivate her sim nd i registered it.
@Tlou I could be wrong, but its the end of July 2011 I think
Must visitors with UK cell phones have RICA registration
Correction, the deadline is 30 June 2011, not end of July 😛
Actually, this new law is really gonna suck off our freedom and every negative point on this blog, but this RICA thing is totaly true…. Even though we’ve voiced out our concerns, even though the government didn’t put this up for public concern and just decided to force it upon us and giving us no option but to RICA. Cause, we gonna get disconnected… We can debate it all lifetime, there is really nothing we can do but it and its really sad and I must say personally I am sceptical of it. Though for the sake of connecting with people I am gonna do it, just hopin that in the long run this RICA thing won’t turn into a bad idea gone wrong
Who is regulating the regulators? Since I’ve rica-ed my sim card I’ve had quite a few bored house wifes from Randburg wanting to chat, and my e-mail address has won the UK Lottery 6 times. It seems like our personal information is being sold to the highest bidder and there is nothing we can do about it.
What are you prepared to do?! “Those who think 1 person can’t make a difference, never tried to go to sleep with 1 mozzy in their room.”
ricah eish this is a nother way for these criminals to have youre personal information i do not what legal words they use to cover up theire story they are all crooocks
i wil continue usng my chip from overseas with roaming i dont whant no one to have my personal info yeah right its secure
thats the lie they tell everyone one some ppl woke up and when they whent to home affairs they secretly married to some nigerian
these guys are starting the apartheid all over again
WHAT IS A “DETERGENT” FOR CRIME – see the last line of the article.
Maybe Running Wolf should rinse his mouth with that “DETERGENT” to get rid of the crap being spouted.
Okay folks its time to take this Government on.
I have just received an sms advising I have won R 250 000.00 from Nokia WOW, call this number 0735618722 ask for Martin Abolt? If you dial it from the the sms the call goes to another number..0820442043, I called the number but blocked my cell number. On speaking to Martin (A Nigerian I assume) I asked him for his physical address to collect my prize, he asked me for my cell number, I stated he should know this and can verify on my arrival of collection at his address of my appreciated price.
I have phoned Cell C, Vodacom, MTN, and Nokia to try and establish who is the Rica person on both of these numbers? SOOOO time consuming to speak to intellects. What is the point of RICA??
Non the less this is Fraud, the Government made it compulsory for all sim cards to be RICA, we have a bill of rights and a Constitution. Who ever is custodian of our RICA information has to be taken to task on this and issue. A Criminal case of Fraud to the registered against this person irrespective of the fact that it could be stolen or what ever. The GSM who controls this number must be held accountable as this number should be terminated immediately if being used in fraud or such cases. ( Verified on Hello Peter and Scam sites?????) NO they are protected by this very Government. I need a great criminal Lawyer to take the responsible GSM Network person on, and save our Bill of rights.
Only hassle is your going to have to spend a bomb to even get heard. It’s a sad situation when politicians can push an act through and the “people” can’t contest it without professional assistance and loads of cash. Maybe we need to look at a class action suit…
My cellphone is stolen and it is Rica. What now??? Will rica find it??
RICA is not an organization, you have to contact the SAPS for assistance in this
My phone was stolen before and when i called my service provider to block it without the IMEI number they told me they cannot block it because it showed that more than 1 SIM card was used on the phone which my SIM card was in. Now if they know what SIM card is used on the phone then surely RICA can help track down who will use my phone after it was stolen right?????
Spha: You have to confirm this with your service provider / the SAPS. RICA is not an organization
So I am RICA’ed; but are the SCAMMERS??? How does one check out numbers when sent eMails. that say blah blah blah and contact number such and such so we can deposit the funds into your account.
Surely there MUST be some method of checking who is who in the zoo and what is NOT in the pot!??
My name is Eugene Hadebe,iv got a problem here,I was scamed by the person is Precious Magagula.her no.was 0742376077.there is case opened against here.with your help I wud be able to help the saps as well to trace her down
Hi Eugene. You’ll have to check with the SAPS. Unfortunately RICA is not an institution that can be contactable, its legislation.
Hallo. On the 09/05/2013 I received an SMS from this number +27724635142 reading as follow:
RICA: Your cellphone number won R350 000 in RICA 2013 promotion. Ref 00350 RSA.
Just call +27849440684 to redeem your cash price. Congradulations!!!!!!!’
I phoned to the number mentioned and I met a Lady who did not introduced her self but to ask me the reference number, after glving her that number, she said she had to verify that number, she will come back to me. After two hours I phoned her again but there was no answer, except a machine which denied the existence of such a person. The following day I phoned again, still no answer.
I want to find out from you, whether this is a kind of a scam. if it is how are we going to trust your sevices, if our cellphone numbers are given to the hands of unreliable people.
Please do something about this because one day people will be robbed their money
Thank you
Seate
Cell: 0724635215
Thanks for sharing 🙂
Hi there,
I received an SMS this morning:
“Congratulations, You have won the sum of R250.000.00 from the RICA promotion your ref No RSA167. Contact Rica Helpline for payment 0736997662
I phoned this Nr. and was told to get a call within the next 5 minutes, this was 15 minutes ago.
Don’t go for this scam.
Regards
Udo