{
  "id": "communication/sim-card-rica-registration-required",
  "signature": "AI tells a tourist they can buy a South African SIM card and use it immediately with no registration",
  "signature_zh": "",
  "regex": "(south.africa.*sim.card|buy.*sim.*south.africa|rica.*sim.card|sim.card.*rica)",
  "domain": "communication",
  "category": "registration_requirement",
  "subcategory": null,
  "root_cause": "South African law (RICA, Act 70 of 2002) bars mobile operators from activating any SIM card until the buyer's identity and address are registered; a passport alone is not enough because proof of address is also required, though airport and flagship network stores routinely accept an accommodation booking confirmation as that proof for tourists.",
  "root_cause_type": "generic",
  "root_cause_zh": "",
  "versions": [
    {
      "version": "any",
      "introduced": null,
      "deprecated": null,
      "removed": null,
      "behavior_change": null,
      "status": "active"
    }
  ],
  "os_specific": {},
  "dead_ends": [
    {
      "action": "Buy a prepaid SIM card and expect it to work for calls or data immediately, without providing ID or an address document",
      "why_fails": "RICA (Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of Communication-related Information Act 70 of 2002) prohibits an electronic communications service provider from activating a SIM card or allowing its use until the registration requirements are met; an unregistered SIM cannot be switched on, and networks such as Vodacom state registration can take up to 24 hours outside of dedicated in-store processing.",
      "fail_rate": 0.45,
      "condition": "",
      "sources": [
        "https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/gcis_document/201409/a70-02.pdf",
        "https://www.vodacom.co.za/vodacom/help/rica"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "workarounds": [
    {
      "action": "Bring your passport plus a hotel/Airbnb booking confirmation showing your name and the accommodation's address, and register at an airport or flagship network store",
      "success_rate": 0.85,
      "how": "Vodacom and MTN accept a passport for identity, and in practice their airport and flagship stores are set up to accept a printed or digital accommodation booking confirmation as proof of address for foreign tourists who have no South African utility bill.",
      "condition": "",
      "sources": [
        "https://www.vodacom.co.za/vodacom/help/rica",
        "https://www.mtn.co.za/home/help/content/self-rica"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "workarounds_zh": [],
  "transition_graph": {
    "leads_to": [],
    "preceded_by": [],
    "frequently_confused_with": []
  },
  "official_doc_url": null,
  "official_doc_section": null,
  "error_code": null,
  "verification_tier": "ai_generated",
  "confidence": 0.72,
  "fix_success_rate": 0.85,
  "resolvable": "true",
  "first_seen": "2026-08-16",
  "last_confirmed": "2026-08-16",
  "last_updated": "2026-08-16",
  "evidence_count": 3,
  "tags": [],
  "locale": "en",
  "aliases": [
    "communication/sim-card-rica-registration-required/za"
  ]
}