In brief: South African phone numbers follow a closed 10-digit format (including the leading 0). Geographic numbers use area codes like 011 (Johannesburg) and 021 (Cape Town); mobile prefixes cover 06x–08x; non-geographic 087 numbers are the standard choice for VoIP and cloud business lines. All number types are fully portable under ICASA’s 2022 regulations.
Whether you’re setting up a business phone system, choosing between a geographic number and an 087 cloud line, or helping a customer understand their bill — this guide covers everything South African resellers and businesses need to know about the national numbering plan.
How South African Phone Numbers Work
South Africa uses a closed 10-digit numbering system. Every domestic number, from a Joburg landline to a Vodacom mobile, is exactly 10 digits including the leading zero. When dialling internationally, drop the leading 0 and use the country code +27.
For example: a Cape Town office number 021 555 1234 becomes +27 21 555 1234 for international callers.
Numbers fall into three broad categories: geographic (tied to a city or region), mobile, and non-geographic (independent of location, including cloud/VoIP, toll-free, and premium-rate numbers).
Geographic Area Codes by Province
Geographic numbers (prefixes 01x to 05x) are allocated by region and managed by ICASA. Below is the complete breakdown for South Africa’s major cities and provinces:
Gauteng
- 011 — Johannesburg (Witwatersrand)
- 010 — Johannesburg overlay (additional capacity, same metro as 011)
- 012 — Pretoria and surrounding areas including Brits
- 016 — Vaal Triangle (Vanderbijlpark, Vereeniging)
Western Cape
- 021 — Cape Town metro
- 022 — Boland and West Coast (Malmesbury, Langebaan)
- 023 — Worcester and Greater Karoo (Beaufort West)
- 028 — Overberg (Hermanus, Swellendam)
KwaZulu-Natal
- 031 — Durban metro and Ethekwini
- 032 — Ilembe District (Ballito, Stanger)
- 033 — Pietermaritzburg
- 034 — Northern KZN (Newcastle, Vryheid)
- 035 — North Coast and Zululand
- 036 — Ladysmith and surrounding areas
- 039 — South Coast (Port Shepstone)
Eastern Cape
- 041 — Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) and Nelson Mandela Bay
- 042 — Cacadu District (Jeffreys Bay)
- 043 — East London and Buffalo City
- 044 — George and Garden Route
- 045 — Queenstown and Komani
- 046 — Makhanda (Grahamstown) and Settler Country
- 047 — Mthatha / OR Tambo District
Free State & Northern Cape
- 051 — Bloemfontein and Mangaung metro
- 053 — Northern Cape (Kimberley)
- 054 — John Taolo Gaetsewe (Kuruman)
- 057 — Lejweleputswa (Welkom, Odendaalsrus)
- 058 — Thabo Mofutsanyane (Harrismith)
Limpopo, Mpumalanga & North West
- 013 — Eastern Gauteng and Western Mpumalanga
- 014 — Northern North West and South-west Limpopo
- 015 — Northern and Eastern Limpopo (Polokwane)
- 017 — Southern Mpumalanga (Ermelo, Standerton)
- 018 — Southern North West (Potchefstroom, Klerksdorp)
Mobile Number Prefixes: Which Operator Is Which?
South Africa’s mobile prefixes span the 06x, 07x, and 08x ranges. The table below shows original allocations — but because mobile number portability has been in place since 2006, the prefix alone does not confirm the current network. Always use a number portability lookup service to verify the live carrier.
Original Prefix Allocations
- Vodacom: 060, 072, 074, 076, 082, 083 (shared with MTN for 083)
- MTN: 061, 073, 075, 078, 083
- Cell C: 062, 064, 074 (shared), 079, 084
- Telkom Mobile: 065, 069, 081
- Rain: 067, 068
Mobile prefixes in the 060–069 range are increasingly shared between operators as ICASA allocated new blocks to accommodate subscriber growth. Rain’s 067/068 range is notable as a 4G-only network, popular for home broadband and increasingly for mobile SIMs.
Non-Geographic Numbers: 087, 086, 0800 and Beyond
Non-geographic numbers are not tied to any city or province. They’re ideal for businesses that want a single national number, operate in the cloud, or want to control per-minute costs for callers.
087 — Cloud and VoIP Numbers
The 087 range is South Africa’s dedicated VoIP/cloud number block. These numbers are:
- Not tied to any geographic location
- Fully portable between VoIP providers under ICASA’s 2022 regulations
- Supported by all major cloud PBX platforms (3CX, Yeastar, Avaya Cloud, Microsoft Teams Calling)
- Treated as local-rate calls by most mobile and landline subscribers
For South African resellers deploying cloud PBX solutions, 087 numbers are typically the best default recommendation for new business lines — they’re future-proof, portable, and have no geographic restriction.
086x — ShareCall and MaxiCall
- 0860 — ShareCall: landline callers pay a local rate; the business absorbs the long-distance portion
- 0861 — MaxiCall: caller always pays a standard national rate regardless of location
- 0862–0869 — Premium rate services (cost to caller increases with the final digit)
0800 — True Toll-Free
0800 numbers are completely free to the caller — the business covers the entire call cost. These are commonly used for customer service helplines, insurance claims, and government services. Mobile callers to 0800 numbers are also typically not charged since the 2022 ICASA portability regulations extended protections to non-geographic numbers.
085 — USAL and Smaller Operators
085 numbers are allocated under Universal Service Access Licences (USAL). They’re used by smaller VoIP providers and regional ISPs as an alternative to the 087 range for virtual business lines.
Number Portability in South Africa
ICASA’s Number Portability Regulations 2018 came into full effect on 7 March 2022. This was a landmark update because it extended portability to all number types — not just mobile and geographic numbers, but also non-geographic numbers (0800, 086x, 087, and 085).
Key portability facts for resellers:
- Mobile — portable since 2006; typically completes in 1–3 business days
- Geographic — portable since 2022; allow 5–10 business days
- Non-geographic — portable since March 2022; allow 5–10 business days
- The Number Portability Database of SA (NPDB) maintains a central reference database (CRDB) that operators use to route ported numbers correctly
ICASA is also considering number recycling regulations requiring operators to quarantine inactive numbers for 30 days before returning them to the pool — important context for businesses that want to protect dormant numbers.
Choosing the Right Number Type for a Business Customer
Here’s a practical guide for resellers recommending number types to clients:
Single-location SME
Recommend a geographic number matching their city (011 for Joburg, 021 for Cape Town). Customers trust local numbers and callers are less likely to hesitate. Pair with a cloud PBX on 087 for internal extensions.
Multi-city or remote-first business
Recommend 087 numbers throughout. No geographic tie means the business can present a consistent identity across cities without confusing customers about which branch they’re calling.
Customer service / support lines
Recommend 0800 (toll-free) if call volume is managed and the business wants to remove any barrier to contacting support. For cost-sharing, 0860 ShareCall is a good middle ground.
Professional services firms (law, accounting, consulting)
Geographic numbers maintain local credibility. Consider a geographic primary number with an 087 as a direct-dial or DID number for senior staff.
ICASA Licensing and Number Allocation
Numbers in South Africa are allocated by ICASA from the national numbering plan. To offer voice services and hold numbers, a provider must be licensed under the Electronic Communications Act:
- Individual ECNS/ECS licence (national/provincial scope, 20-year term): full number allocation rights from ICASA
- Class ECNS/ECS licence (district municipal scope, 10-year term): limited scope
- Small ECNS (licence-exempt): no number allocation rights; must resell from a licensed provider
Most telecoms resellers operate under a licensed upstream carrier and provision numbers from that carrier’s allocation. When assisting a customer with a new number, ensure your upstream provider is a licensed Individual ECS or ECNS holder.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does +27 mean in a South African phone number?
+27 is South Africa’s international dialling country code, assigned by the ITU. When dialling a South African number from abroad, replace the leading 0 with +27. For example, 011 555 1234 becomes +27 11 555 1234.
Can I keep my phone number if I switch VoIP providers?
Yes. Under ICASA’s Number Portability Regulations (effective March 2022), geographic, mobile, and non-geographic numbers (including 087, 0800, and 0860) are all portable. Your new provider manages the port request and the process typically takes 5–10 business days.
What is an 087 number in South Africa?
087 is South Africa’s non-geographic VoIP/cloud number range. These numbers are not tied to any physical location, making them ideal for businesses with hosted PBX systems, remote teams, or multiple offices. They are fully portable and treated as local-rate calls by most carriers.
What is the difference between 0800 and 0860 numbers?
0800 is a true toll-free number — the caller pays nothing and the business absorbs the full cost. 0860 (ShareCall) splits the cost: landline callers pay a local rate and the business covers the rest. 0861 (MaxiCall) charges the caller a national rate regardless of their location.
Which mobile prefix belongs to which network in South Africa?
Original allocations: Vodacom (082, 072, 076), MTN (083, 073, 078), Cell C (084, 079), Telkom Mobile (081), Rain (067, 068). However, due to mobile number portability since 2006, the prefix alone does not confirm the current network. Use a portability lookup service to verify the live operator.
Is it expensive to call an 087 number from a mobile phone in South Africa?
Most South African mobile operators rate 087 calls at a local or national landline rate, not as a premium number. However, charges vary by carrier and plan. Customers on per-second billing or flat-rate bundles are typically unaffected, but it is worth confirming with the upstream operator for accurate customer guidance.
About the Author
Mechelle Gindra
Mechelle Gindra is the managing editor and lead content strategist at Telecoms-Channel, South Africa's dedicated intelligence platform for telecoms resellers, ICT distributors, and channel partners. She oversees the editorial team's AI-assisted content production pipeline, ensuring vendor news, market analysis, and regulatory updates are accurate, timely, and actionable for the SA telecoms channel community. With deep expertise in the South African telecoms reseller ecosystem, Mechelle directs coverage of vendor partner programmes, ICASA regulatory developments, wholesale market dynamics, and channel business strategy. She is responsible for maintaining Telecoms-Channel's editorial standards, fact-checking processes, and corrections policy.
