By Matṧeliso Phulane
Vodacom Lesotho’s M-pesa commercial manager Thato Mathule has warned that failure to meet the deadline for registration of Vodacom Sim cards will lead to blocking of M-pesa accounts’ access for two years.
The deadline for registration of mobile phone network sim cards is June 23 mid-night this year.
During a press conference held on Wednesday this week, Mathule said failure to register simcards will result in closure of M-Pesa accounts. If there are still funds in your account you may claim those funds at any Vodacom shop. If you do not claim those funds within 2 years they will be transferred to the Central Bank where customers can claim under the unclaimed funds rules.
The registration of SIM cards is currently being implemented under the Communications (Subscriber Identity Module Registration) Regulations of 2021. Under the regulations, all subscribers holding SIM cards are required to register them by June 23.
The executive head regulatory and external affairs, Tṧepo Ntaopane also stressed that, again the other consequences of non- registration include SIM card deactivation with a risk of a holder losing the subscriber’s number together with the data and related services such as mobile money (Mpesa) as well as possible delays in post-deadline registration.
“Lessons from other countries point to increased congestion at registration centres as the deadline approaches and subscribers tend to leave it to the last day.
“While less than 40 percent of subscribers remaining unregistered according to our records, it is important to avoid such congestions as well as to ensure that registration centres are made available at places with the most likely responses from last- minute registration.
“While our records indicate that majority of unregistered subscribers may be found in the peri-urban and rural areas, we need to ensure that proper arrangements are made to meet this demand at the right localities. This is due to maximizing the existing investment in personnel and equipment which was deployed for the expected demand, but which seemingly has been not been fully utilized,” Ntaopane observed while strongly advising subscribers to register in time.
The executive Head of Sales and Distribution, Palesa Kaloli noticed a huge challenge of customers being reluctant to register their SIM cards.
The network’s records show that 844 000 customers constituting a 60 percent of the total number of customers at the time, have registered their cards.
This is despite Vodacom Lesotho having doubled the number of mobile registration agents, with the majority of additional agents going to rural and peri-urban areas.
The official mobile SIM registration agents can be identified with a branded vest, cap and a name badge with a picture of the agent and a Vodacom logo.
Kaloli further highlited that Vodacom has identified points of registration which are Vodacom centres countrywide, certain hospitals, community council offices, border posts and taxi ranks.
A subscriber should have a national identity card. Such registration is free.
She mentioned that minors, elderly people, the infirm and people with disabilities are allowed to delegate someone close to them to register on their behalf, adding that representatives are expected to bring their own identity cards and that of the customer accompanied by an affidavit or local chief’s letter authorizing the proxy to register on behalf of the customer.
“I want to urge subscribers including diplomats, companies, refugees, learners, and minors to ensure that they are fully registered,” she concluded
The SIM card registration was launched on June 24 2022, by former minister of communications, science, and technology, Mr. Tšoinyana Rapapa in collaboration with the Lesotho Communications Authority (LCA) the mobile operators being Vodacom Lesotho and Econet Telecom Lesotho.
The SIM card registration is intended for legal imperatives such as avoiding misuse and abuse of the mobile cards.
