SIM card fraud remains SA's biggest headache

SINCE 2020, there were only 27 investigations concerning crime committed using SIM card fraud, and out of those investigations, only one led to an arrest, with zero convictions.

- NICOLA DANIELS

This is according to a parliamentary response by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu to questions about the number of investigations, arrests and referrals to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for prosecution in offences related to the Regulation of Interception of Communications and Provision of Communication-Related Information Act (RICA), carried out in each of the past five years.

According to the minister, there were four investigations in 2020/21, eight in 2021/22, three for 2022/23, eight for 2023/24 and four over the 2024/25 period.

There was only one arrest in 2023/24 but the case was withdrawn, and no referrals to the NPA.

The NPA said the statement about no convictions “must not lose sight of the fact that since 2018, the NPA concluded 69 trials on RICA offences” which included several convictions.

In 2021, there were two direct imprisonment sentences, there were six in 2022, and three in 2023. In 2024, there were eight direct imprisonment sentences for RICA offences.