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 · explosion proof
Explosion-Proof Cell Phone 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 explosion proof cell phone 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 topicexplosion proof
DeviceCell Phone
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.
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. Operator approval runs on its own timeline. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · explosion proof
Checklist: explosion proof cell phone for South Africa
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Protection concept | Flameproof (Ex d) or intrinsic safety (Ex i) | Intrinsic safety, level ib |
| Zone suitability | Zone 1 gas and Zone 21 dust | Design target for Zone 1 and 21 |
| Certificate | Number, issuing body and schedule of conditions | In progress; not issued |
| 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
Where an Ex phone is used in South Africa
Operators and classified areas drawn from the SAMS South Africa market guide.
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 · explosion proof
What “explosion proof” means for a smartphone
“Explosion proof” is the phrase most buyers use for equipment that may be taken into a classified hazardous area. Strictly, it covers several protection concepts: a flameproof enclosure (Ex d) contains an internal explosion, while intrinsic safety (Ex i) limits electrical energy so that an ignition cannot start. Phones are normally intrinsically safe, because a flameproof handset would be too heavy to carry all shift.
The IS-04Z1 uses intrinsic safety, with a marking target of Ex ib IIC T4, and is designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21. It is pre-launch, certification is in progress and no certificate has been issued.
In South Africa. Explosion-proof is the common search phrase, but Secunda and Sasolburg combine hydrogen-rich streams with large fixed plant. Flameproof Ex d suits heavy enclosures, while the IS-04Z1 uses intrinsic safety to limit the energy of a handheld. The difference matters when a reviewer asks which protection concept applies to the device carried through a gate.
The route · specification
Specifying an explosion proof cell phone 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 explosion proof cell phone in South Africa today?
No. Nothing can be bought or taken into a classified area today: certification is in progress and launch is planned for Q4 2026. What is available now is the datasheet, the written certification schedule and evaluation units for safe-area use.
What does an explosion proof cell phone 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.
Is the IS-04Z1 explosion proof or intrinsically safe?
It is intrinsically safe (marking target Ex ib IIC T4), which is the usual way to make a phone for hazardous areas. It is not a flameproof (Ex d) design, and certification is still in progress.
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
Related guides for South Africa and for South Africa.
Industrial Mobile Phone Supplier in South AfricaSame place, different guide
Hazardous Area Mobile Phone Distributor in South AfricaSame place, different guide
Rugged Mobile Phone Supplier in South AfricaSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone in South AfricaSame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier in South AfricaSame place, different guide
Ex-Proof Mobile Phone Distributor 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.