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 · hazardous area
Hazardous Area Mobile Phone 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. 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. Distribution partners for South Africa are being identified ahead of the Q4 2026 launch of the IS-04Z1.
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 topichazardous area
DeviceMobile Phone
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.
Current position: certification in progress, nothing issued, launch targeted for Q4 2026. A buyer's engineering review is separate from the certificate. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · hazardous area
Checklist: hazardous area mobile phone for South Africa
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Zone | 0, 1 or 2 for gas; 20, 21 or 22 for dust | Designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 |
| Gas group | IIA, IIB or IIC | IIC (target) |
| Area drawing | The operator's own classification drawing | Decided by the site operator |
| 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
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: 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: industry on the ground
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.
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.
The term · hazardous area
What “hazardous area” means for a smartphone
A hazardous area is a place where flammable gas, vapour or combustible dust may be present. Standards divide these into zones: Zones 0, 1 and 2 for gas and vapour, and Zones 20, 21 and 22 for dust. Zone 1 and Zone 21 are the tier where an explosive atmosphere is likely to occur in normal operation, which is where the IS-04Z1 is designed to work. Anything carried in must be marked for the zone, gas group and temperature class of the area.
No certificate has been issued for the IS-04Z1 yet, so it must not be taken into a classified area until the certificate covering it exists and the site operator has accepted it.
In South Africa. South African classified areas include synthetic fuels and chemicals, coastal refineries and fuel terminals, and the surface plants at coal and mineral operations. The operator classifies each area. Underground mining is equipment Group I and outside the scope of this device. SAMS does not classify any area.
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 a hazardous area mobile 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 a hazardous area mobile phone 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.
Which hazardous areas is the IS-04Z1 designed for?
Zone 1 and Zone 21 (gas and dust) with gas group IIC and temperature class T4, subject to certification. It must not be used in a classified area before its certificate is issued and the site has accepted it.
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.
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.
Rugged Mobile Phone Supplier in South AfricaSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone Supplier in South AfricaSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in South AfricaSame place, different guide
Industrial Mobile Phone Supplier in South AfricaSame place, different guide
Ex-Proof Mobile Phone 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?
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule.