By Stuart Alderson-Smith
With all the chatter at the moment regarding the new RICA Act, some are wondering what sort of impact this new Act will have on foreign football fans coming to support their team at next year’s 2010 FIFA World Cup.
RICA stands for Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of Communication-Related Information Act, and requires people with SIM cards to register them, providing proof of residence and an identification document such as a passport or an ID book.
The amended Act, which was published in January, defines an address as the place “where the person usually resides”, or “where the person is employed”, or “where the business of the person is situated”.
FIFA does not seem concerned about the legislation. A spokesman stated: “Registration of SIM cards is a standard procedure in most countries around the world.”
Zolisa Masiza, MTN's group executive for regulatory issues, says tourists can use their home SIM cards on a roaming basis. However, those purchasing new cards while in SA for the games “will be required to provide their full names, surname, original passport document and residential address in their home country to a RICA officer or agent”.
Masiza points out that when the tourists return home, the SIM cards they have purchased will have to be discarded responsibly. “The obligation is on the foreign visitor to destroy their SIM card once they have left the country,” he says.
They will have to notify MTN if the card is handed over to someone else, and registration will then happen all over again. The company is not sure how many prepaid SIMs will be sold for the games, but will embark on a marketing campaign closer to the time.
Differing opinions on 2010 World Cup tourists
As opposed to MTN’s claims that visitors will need to provide their foreign residential addresses, Vodacom SA MD, Shameel Joosub, says tourists can provide registration officers with proof of the address where they will be staying while in SA.
Not an issue for 2010 tourists
Frost & Sullivan senior ICT industry analyst Lindsey Mc Donald says she does not see RICA being an impediment to tourists coming into the country.
“There is no way that it's going to be an issue for 2010.... There is no way that we are going to inconvenience tourists.”
For all cellphone numbers already in use before the 1st of July, Customers have to visit any network branded retail store or their cellular service providers’ store, and provide the RICA officer there with the relevant information.
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