South Africa: industry on the ground
Secunda CTL, owned by Sasol, is the world's largest coal liquefaction plant, with capacity of 160,000 barrels a day from units built in 1980 and 1984, so synthetic fuel gas and liquids handling is extensive.
South Africa · Ex-proof
Ex-Proof Smartphone 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. This page explains what to look for in an Ex-proof smartphone for South Africa, and where the IS-04Z1 stands against that list today.
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
RouteSpecification
WhereSouth Africa
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for South Africa: pre-launch, designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target Ex ib IIC T4), with certification in progress and no certificate issued.
Where things stand: the IS-04Z1 has not launched, and none of its four certification routes has produced a certificate yet. 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: Secunda, Mpumalanga, Sasolburg, Free State, Milnerton, Cape Town | 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: geography and layout
Mining areas range from the Witwatersrand gold fields to Limpopo platinum mines such as Two Rivers at Steelpoort, so remote sites and deep underground workings are both common.
South Africa: rules and approvals
Electrical safety for some products is handled through SABS certificates of conformity and an NRCS letter of authority, which are separate from ICASA's radio approval.
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.
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 · specification
Specifying an Ex-proof smartphone for South Africa
A short checklist for anyone writing or reviewing the specification, with the IS-04Z1 status against each point.
Check on the paper
- Marking
- Equipment group, category, protection concept, gas group and temperature class, matched to the area drawing.
- Certificate and schedule
- A certificate number, issuing body and the schedule of conditions, not a brochure claim.
- Standards edition
- The IEC 60079 or national standard edition the certificate was issued against.
Check for the IS-04Z1
- Marking target
- II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4: a target, not yet a certificate.
- Certificate status
- IECEx, ATEX, UKEX and NEC 500 in progress; none issued.
- Operator approval
- Separate from the certificate and handled with the site operator.
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?
SAMS has not published a price. Any figure you are offered for an uncertified Ex phone should be treated with caution; written indicative pricing is available for a defined quantity and site.
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.
Is intrinsically safe the same as explosion proof?
Not exactly. Explosion proof is a broad everyday term; intrinsic safety is one protection concept, which limits energy so ignition cannot occur. Flameproof (Ex d) is a different concept that contains an explosion. The IS-04Z1 is intrinsically safe by design.
Do mines in South Africa have different requirements from process plants?
Underground mines typically use Group I classification, with methane and coal-dust risks, while surface plants use Group II and III. SANS standards such as SANS 1515 cover mine gas-measuring equipment. Ask the mine or plant engineer which group and protection level the area drawing specifies before ordering.
Is there a national code for hazardous locations in South Africa?
Yes. The National Code of Practice for Electrical Machinery in Hazardous Locations sits under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1993 and refers to SANS standards. Mines also have their own regulations and standards, so confirm which rules apply with the site's engineering and compliance team.
Can the IS-04Z1 be used underground in a South African mine?
No. Underground mining is equipment Group I, which is outside the scope of this device. The IS-04Z1 targets surface areas such as coal handling plants and process units using Zone 1 and Zone 21. Confirm the area and equipment group with the mine's safety officer.
Related guides
Keep exploring
More on South Africa, and on other places in South Africa.
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone in South AfricaSame place, different guide
Rugged Mobile Phone Supplier in South AfricaSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier in South AfricaSame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier in South AfricaSame place, different guide
Hazardous Area Mobile Phone in South AfricaSame place, different guide
Industrial Mobile Phone 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
Tell us what you need to equip and where. The SAMS team answers by email with the datasheet and where each certification route stands.
Enquiry · South Africa
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for South Africa?
Name the site and the operator and we will send what is available before launch.