PRETORIA - Undocumented immigrants living in South Africa have expressed frustration over the Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of Communication-Related Information Act (RICA), saying the piece of legislation is depriving them of the right to communicate.
Enacted last year, RICA now makes it mandatory for any person who wants to buy a mobile phone starter pack to produce legal identity documents and proof of residence for registration on a secure national database. No new sim card, from any of the countrys three networks, is being activated before registration. Millions of undocumented refugees and exiles living here illegally are seeing red, as they cannot replace lost or stolen sim cards, whilst they race against time to register their sim cards or face automatic de-activation.
I want to have a cell phone number, but I cant because I do not have a passport and proof of residence. I cannot find a job because prospective employers will need to call me for vacancies, said Tinashe Masora (24) from Mkoba, Gweru who came to South Africa in December to seek employment. The legislation has caused panic and anxiety. Many told The Zimbabwean they fear that they will soon be cut off from the rest of the world. I have been using this number for several years but when the deadline arrives, Im afraid Im going to be de-activated, as I do not have the legal requirements, said Primrose Nyamakope (23) who works at a hair salon in Mamelodi, Pretoria.
South Africas leading mobile network Vodacom, told The Zimbabwean that the new legislation had contributed to the reduction of the number of new cellphone connections. Company spokesperson, Nicolene Visser, said, We continue to communicate and educate our customers as to how to comply with the RICA Act, and to provide the necessary support by enabling our retailers and distributors across South Africa, to make it as easy and convenient as possible for our customers to register their SIM cards and personal information.
Post published in: News