JOHANNESBURG – Sessions Telecoms has instructed its defense team to seek a review of the decision by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) which imposed an administrative fine of R6 million along with additional sanctions.
The ICASA Council adopted the Complaints and Compliance Committee's recommendations on June 18, 2026.
The Commission found that Session Telecoms had violated two provisions of the Numbering Plan Regulations following a complaint filed by MTN.
The judgment imposed a fine of R3 million for each violation, as well as banning and revocation of certain figures, mandatory monthly reporting for 24 months, and ongoing monitoring.
Related: ICASA imposes multiple sanctions on SA communications providers
Legal challenge underway
Session Telecoms' Hanro Wentzel said: “We respectfully disagree with important aspects of both the findings and the sanctions imposed.”
“After obtaining advice from senior counsel, we believe there are sufficient grounds to challenge this decision. We will therefore enforce our rights through appropriate legal channels.”
Wentzel added: “This matter is currently in the hands of our legal representatives. In accordance with this process, we do not intend to litigate in the media. Also, this statement does not reveal the detailed basis of our review application.”
About Session Telecom
Session Telecoms is a South African licensed electronic communications operator.
The company holds separate Electronic Communications Services (ECS) and Electronic Communications Network Services (ECNS) licenses issued by ICASA to provide large-scale voice and interconnection services.
Session Telecoms has cooperated constructively with regulators throughout the investigation and has confirmed that it remains fully committed to complying with numbering plan regulations and all other applicable regulatory requirements.
Call for public hearing on telecommunications fraud
Sessions Telecoms is calling on ICASA to hold a public hearing on the issue of widespread telecommunications fraud in South Africa. The company views this issue as an organizational and industry-wide issue that requires a coordinated industry-wide response.
“Interconnect bypass and manipulation of originating line identification is a serious issue that affects all carriers and ultimately all South African consumers,” Mr Wentzel said.
“No one operator can solve these problems alone; an open, evidence-based approach across the sector is needed.”
The airline emphasized that fraud on international inbound routes is only part of the problem.
Consumers are also adversely affected at other points in the call chain, and regulatory interventions that fail to address the full scope of the problem will not adequately protect end users.
“We believe ICASA will play an important leadership role in launching a wide-ranging investigation into the true scale of telecommunications fraud in South Africa, the harm to consumers, and the most effective solutions,” Wentzel concluded.
“Session Telecoms stands ready to participate constructively in such a process.”
next step
Session Telecoms will provide further updates in due course, but until then Session Telecoms will make no further comment on the details of the review application.
*This article was first published in our sister publication techfinancials.co.za.
