从下个月开始，南非人在国内购买手机产品或SIM卡之前，必须要提供身份及地址证明。此项规定主要是为了帮助本国治理日益猖獗的犯罪行为。该规定将覆盖南非整个手机市场，包括包月服务用户和充值用户。

    据路透社11月12日报道，南非最大的手机运营商Vodacom已于日前正式对外界宣布，从12月1日起，所有购买手机和SIM卡的个人和企业用户，将必须提供身份证或护照复印件。南非司法部门在其网站上说，此项法令的推出旨在帮助本国降低犯罪率，考虑到越来越多的犯罪分子利用手机和其他高科技犯罪手段，手机平台实名制的确能够帮助南非警方寻找到更多的信息。司法部门还表示，如果用户没能在手机及SIM卡被盗、丢失或者损害之后及时通告警方，将有可能面临牢狱之苦。

    据统计，随着生活水平的提高，作为非洲最为富有的国家，目前南非公民手机的持有率已超过50％。其中大量低收入者也加入了手机使用者的行列，而这些低收入者中还存在着大量没有官方身份的公民，这就为南非此次手机实名制的实施带来了极大的困难。

    South Africans must supply proof of identity and address to get a cell phone or SIM card from next month under a new law aimed at fighting the country's notorious rates of crime.

    South Africa's biggest cell phone operator Vodacom, joint owned by Telkom and Vodafone said on Friday that from December 1 all individuals and businesses would have to supply photocopies of identity cards or passports to get a phone or SIM card.

    The law would apply to pay-as-you-go customers, who account for the majority of the South African market, as well as contract subscribers.

    The department of justice said on its website that the law was aimed at stopping organised crime in which cell phones and other technology are used.

    Under the law, cell phone users could also face a prison sentence if they do not immediately report a lost, stolen or broken cell phone or SIM card to police. SIM cards activate and are used as identification for handsets, as well as storing phone numbers.

    Vodacom is South Africa's biggest cell phone provider, followed by MTN and unlisted Cell C.

    Cell phone penetration in Africa's richest country has shot up to over half the population in recent years due to patchy and expensive land line services, with many low-income earners, some of whom may not have official ID papers, owning phones.