South Africa’s new plug standard and what people must do

South Africa’s electrical standards are undergoing a major shift as the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) works to make a compact, hexagonal three-pin plug the primary socket type in new buildings.

Officially called SANS 164–2, this design is often called the “ZA Plug” or simply “the new plug” and has been part of building code amendments for several years, though it has taken time to gain traction.

In 2016, amendments to South Africa’s wiring code stated that every new electrical outlet must include at least one ZA Plug socket.

These updates went into effect in 2018, allowing outlets to include older socket designs alongside the new one.

However, the code was tightened again in 2020 to make the ZA Plug configuration mandatory in new buildings, irrespective of the building’s purpose.

Despite these new regulations, there is no requirement for households or businesses with older electrical infrastructure to replace their existing sockets.

Buildings constructed before 2020 will still have the old configurations, according to SANS 164–1, although electrical suppliers stock compatibility products and adapters to help ease the transition.

South Africa’s transition to the ZA Plug can be traced back to the mid-1980s when the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) introduced IEC 60906–1, originally labeled IEC–906–1.

The goal was to unify plugs and sockets for 250V systems worldwide.

Hopes were high that this “international plugs and socket system” would be adopted globally, but European countries ultimately decided against it.

Brazil and South Africa were the only nations to incorporate the standard. However, even Brazil diverged in practice by supplying both 127V and 220V through the same socket.

By the time it was clear that Europe would not follow the IEC proposal, South Africa had already made substantial progress on its own adoption.

Local authorities also believed they could expand the standard’s influence into other African nations through the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

Although the new standard was formally approved as SANS 164–2 in 2006, the wiring code did not mention it until six years later. It became semi-mandatory for new buildings in 2018 and fully mandatory in 2020.

Despite being left in the lurch by the international community, South Africa gains several advantages from adopting the new standard.

First and foremost, the new plug standard is more compact, allowing more sockets to fit on a single outlet and reducing the need for stacked multiplugs.

This makes them safer, especially given the proliferation of substandard multiplugs in South Africa.

Another safety benefit is the thinner pins, making it difficult for children to stick their fingers in open sockets.

Additionally, the more streamlined ZA Plug is expected to become cheaper to produce over time than the older Type M plug commonly in use.

Devices using two-pin Europlugs — common for mobile device chargers — also now fit directly into the ZA socket without requiring an adapter.

The SABS previously told MyBroadband that although it has no enforcement power, it works with partners to encourage widespread adoption of SANS 164–2.

The National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS) holds enforcement authority and can amend regulations to align with the new wiring code.

For now, the SABS said older plug designs will remain in use, particularly for appliances like fridges, microwaves, ovens, and kettles.

Meanwhile, newer products, including hairdryers, certain power tools, and other electronics, are increasingly outfitted with the ZA Plug.

Regulators are currently content with allowing the market to adopt the new plug and socket configurations at its own pace.

However, that does not mean standing idly by. The SABS technical committee is actively engaging with manufacturers and suppliers to ensure broader compliance with the new standard.

Although South Africa’s decision to switch plug standards began almost 40 years ago, it is only now inching toward full nationwide adoption.

For residents, this means a gradual yet inevitable transition to smaller, safer, and ultimately more convenient plugs and sockets.