South Africa: background
The 1886 discovery on the Witwatersrand started the gold rush that built Johannesburg's mining industry, and the country is still fifth in world gold production by one account.
South Africa · Ex-proof
Ex-Proof Smartphone Distributor in South Africa
A Zone 1 / Zone 21 smartphone for crews at the Secunda and Sasolburg complexes, the Natref and Cape Town refineries, Mossel Bay, the fuel terminals and the surface plants of South African mining. South Africa is the world's largest producer of chrome, manganese, platinum and vanadium and the third-largest coal exporter, so mining is a major source of hazardous-area work. An Ex-proof smartphone distributor in South Africa would carry the IS-04Z1 to these buyers once certification completes.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Marking targetEx ib IIC T4Intrinsic safety, Zone 1 / 21 design target · certification in progress
AvailabilityQ4 2026via authorised distributors
Search topicEx-proof
DeviceSmartphone
RouteDistribution
WhereSouth Africa
Short answer. South Africa has no appointed SAMS distributor yet: the IS-04Z1 is pre-launch (certification in progress, no certificate issued, launch planned for Q4 2026), and distributor applications are open.
Status: pre-launch. IECEx, ATEX, UKEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress and no certificate has been issued; launch is planned for Q4 2026. A buyer's engineering review is separate from the certificate. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · Ex-proof
Checklist: Ex-proof smartphone for South Africa
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Ex marking | Group, category, protection concept, gas group, temperature class | II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4 (target) |
| Gas group | IIA, IIB or IIC matched to the area drawing | IIC (target) |
| Temperature class | T-class below the ignition temperature of the gas | T4, 135 °C (target) |
| Where it applies | South Africa: Milnerton, Cape Town, Mossel Bay, Western Cape, Durban | Classified by the site operator |
Product · South Africa
The product behind this search: the SAMS IS-04Z1.
SAMS IS-04Z1
An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in South Africa. It is pre-launch: IECEx, ATEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.
- IP68 sealed
- 4,000 mAh battery
- 50 MP camera
- Android 16
- Zone 1 / Zone 21 design target
The market · South Africa
Hazardous-area industry in South Africa
The main operators, industrial areas and sites that the SAMS South Africa market guide covers.
Operators, EPCs and contractors
- Sasol
- Synthetic fuels and chemicals at Secunda and Sasolburg
- Natref
- The inland refinery at Sasolburg
- Astron Energy
- The Cape Town refinery and fuel distribution
- PetroSA
- The gas to liquids complex at Mossel Bay
- Transnet Pipelines
- Fuel pipelines and terminals between Durban and Gauteng
- Eskom
- Coal-fired power stations and their coal handling plants
Industrial areas and sites
- Secunda, Mpumalanga
- Synthetic fuels and chemicals complex
- Sasolburg, Free State
- Chemicals production and the Natref refinery
- Milnerton, Cape Town
- The Astron Energy refinery
- Mossel Bay, Western Cape
- Gas to liquids complex and offshore gas
- Durban
- Fuel import terminals, tank farms and the chemical cluster
- Richards Bay
- Coal export terminal and bulk liquid storage
Field notes · South Africa
More about South Africa that matters for portable equipment
South Africa: rules and approvals
The code references a family of SANS standards, including SANS 10086 on installation, inspection and maintenance of equipment in explosive atmospheres, SANS 1489 on connectors and SANS 1515 on gas measuring equipment for mines.
South Africa: rules and approvals
ICASA, based in Centurion, sets radio type approval, relying on EU test reports for spectrum, EMC and electrical safety, and a conformity label must be affixed to the equipment and the packaging.
South Africa: rules and approvals
South Africa has a National Code of Practice for Electrical Machinery in Hazardous Locations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1993, with a section on regulatory requirements for explosion-protected apparatus.
The term · Ex-proof
What “Ex-proof” means for a smartphone
“Ex-proof” is shorthand for equipment carrying an explosion-protection marking (the Ex mark) that matches the area it enters. The marking states the protection concept, gas or dust group and temperature class, and it must be backed by a certificate issued by a recognised body, so a phone described as Ex-proof should come with a certificate number you can check.
The IS-04Z1 is designed to carry the marking II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4. That is a target: certification is in progress, no certificate has been issued, and SAMS will publish the certificate numbers when they exist.
In South Africa. A marking check here would read Ex ib IIC T4 against hydrogen-rich synthetic fuel and refining streams that put some areas into gas group IIC, then check IIA and IIB are also covered. For coal handling and conveying at mines and power stations, Zone 21 dust evidence is read beside the gas marking.
The route · distribution
Distributing the IS-04Z1 in South Africa
SAMS is appointing authorised distributors ahead of the Q4 2026 launch. No territory has been granted for South Africa yet and applications are reviewed company by company. Because a certified Ex device cannot be opened by an ordinary phone workshop without invalidating its certificate, SAMS looks for partners who can provide competent technical support and after-sales service locally.
What SAMS looks for in a partner
- Operator relationships
- Existing supplier registrations or a clear route to them with the main operators and contractors in South Africa.
- Ex-competent staff
- People who understand zone classification, markings and the conditions of a certificate.
And equally important
- Local-language support
- Documentation, training and helpdesk in the languages the workforce uses.
- Service capability
- Spares, battery replacement and repair routed through SAMS-approved channels.
Questions · South Africa
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an Ex-proof smartphone in South Africa today?
Not yet. The IS-04Z1 is pre-launch and its certification is still in progress ahead of a Q4 2026 launch. No unit goes into a classified area before the certificate covering it exists. The datasheet, the certification schedule and safe-area evaluation units are available now.
What does an Ex-proof smartphone in South Africa cost?
There is no list price yet. SAMS gives indicative pre-launch pricing in writing, against a stated quantity and site, and does not commit to a lead time before certification completes.
What Ex marking will the IS-04Z1 carry?
The marking target is II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4. It becomes a marking only when the certificate is issued; until then it is a design target.
Which sites in South Africa does this cover?
The market guide for South Africa covers Secunda, Mpumalanga, Sasolburg, Free State, Milnerton, Cape Town, Mossel Bay, Western Cape, among others. Site-level pages are linked below.
How do I become a SAMS distributor for South Africa?
Apply through the distributor page with your company details and the territory you cover. SAMS reviews applications company by company and has not yet granted a territory for South Africa.
Which South African authority approves radios and phones?
ICASA sets radio type approval, and it is described as relying on EU test reports covering spectrum use, EMC and electrical safety, with a conformity label on the equipment and packaging. SABS and NRCS handle some electrical-safety certificates separately. Confirm the route for your device with ICASA or an agent.
What conditions affect devices at South African mines and plants?
Conditions vary from hot, dusty surface sites to deep underground workings with heat and humidity. Check ingress protection, operating temperature range and battery life, and confirm site rules on device approval and gas detection with the mine or plant operator.
How would the handset cope with highveld temperature swings?
IP68 sealing and a rugged build are aimed at hot summers, cold winter mornings and dusty conditions. The approved ambient range will be stated on the certificate, which is in progress. Check that range against the coldest morning shift at your site before ordering.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Related guides for South Africa and for South Africa.
Industrial Mobile Phone Distributor in South AfricaSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone in South AfricaSame place, different guide
Rugged Mobile Phone Supplier in South AfricaSame place, different guide
Hazardous Area Mobile Phone Supplier in South AfricaSame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in South AfricaSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone Supplier in South AfricaSame place, different guide
South Africa market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for South AfricaEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · South Africa
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for South Africa
Send the site, zone and gas group and roughly how many handsets. We reply by email with the datasheet and the certification schedule.
Enquiry · South Africa
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for South Africa?
Send the zone and gas group of your site and we will reply with the datasheet and schedule.