Icasa proposes biometric verification for South African SIM cards

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) has released draft regulations proposing that all mobile number activations, reactivations, and SIM swaps undergo biometric verification. Under the proposed amendments to the numbering plan, operators would be required to verify a subscriber’s identity using fingerprints or facial recognition against Department of Home Affairs records.

The measure aims to combat fraud, specifically targeting SIM swapping, a method used by criminals to hijack phone numbers and intercept one-time banking passwords. If a person requesting a SIM swap does not match the biometric data of the registered holder, the operator must refuse the request.

Existing subscribers would be subject to these requirements, with operators given a two-year window to verify the identities of the country’s estimated 117.3 million mobile subscriptions. Additionally, the draft regulations propose a cap of five mobile numbers per subscriber per operator. While corporate entities are exempt from biometric checks due to the nature of their contractual relationships, they remain subject to the five-number limit.