SignZA is a South African e-signature platform that lets you send any PDF for legally binding signature in under two minutes. It works on any device — desktop or mobile — and your signers never need to create an account. They simply open a link you share with them and sign directly in their browser.
What do you need before you start?
Before you send your first document, make sure you have the following ready:
- A PDF file of the document you want signed (maximum 10 MB). If your document is a Word file, save it as PDF first — in Microsoft Word, go to File → Save As and choose PDF format.
- Your signer's contact details — a WhatsApp number, email address, or any messaging app you use to communicate with them.
- A SignZA account — the free plan lets you send up to 5 documents per month at no cost. The Pro plan (R99/month or R890/year) gives you 50 documents per month.
How do you send a document for e-signature in South Africa?
The entire process takes under two minutes once you have your PDF ready. Here's exactly what to do:
- 1Go to signza.app and log in to your account. On the home page, click the upload area or drag your PDF onto the screen.
- 2Your PDF is uploaded and you are redirected to the field placement editor at /sign/{token}/setup.
- 3In the editor, drag signature fields, initials fields, and date fields onto the correct pages of your PDF. Position them exactly where you want the signer to sign.
- 4Once all fields are placed, click "Send Link" — this saves your field layout and copies the signing link to your clipboard.
- 5Share the signing link with your signer via WhatsApp, email, SMS, or any messaging platform.
- 6Your signer opens the link in their browser, clicks the orange highlighted fields, and draws or types their signature.
- 7The signer clicks "Confirm & Sign" — SignZA processes the PDF, embeds the signatures, appends the ECT Act audit certificate, and both parties can download the signed document.
That's it. No back-and-forth, no printing, no scanning. The signed PDF is ready within seconds of your signer clicking confirm.
How do you share the signing link?
Once you click "Send Link" in the setup editor, the signing URL is copied to your clipboard. This is a unique, secure link — only the person who has it can open and sign the document.
You can share this link in any way that works for you and your signer:
- WhatsApp — paste the link directly into a chat. This is by far the most common method used by South African businesses.
- Email — paste the link into your email body with a short message explaining what needs to be signed.
- SMS — the link is short enough to send as a text message.
- Any messaging app — Telegram, Microsoft Teams, Slack, or any platform your signer already uses.
The signing link does not expire by default. If you need a deadline, you can set an expiry from your SignZA dashboard after sending.
How do signers sign on mobile in South Africa?
The SignZA signing page is fully optimised for mobile browsers. Your signer does not need to download any app — they simply tap the link on their smartphone and the document opens in their mobile browser (Safari on iPhone, Chrome on Android, or any browser they prefer).
On mobile, the orange signature fields appear as tap targets sized for thumbs. When a signer taps a field, a modal opens where they can draw their signature with their finger or type their name. The interface is clean and focused — no distractions, just the document and the fields.
This matters in South Africa, where most people do business on their phones. Your clients can sign a lease agreement, service contract, or NDA from anywhere — sitting in their car, at a braai, or on a lunch break — without ever needing to find a printer or scanner.
What happens after the document is signed?
The moment your signer clicks "Confirm & Sign," SignZA's server processes the document:
- The signature images drawn by the signer are embedded into the PDF at the exact positions you placed the fields.
- A legally compliant ECT Act audit certificate is appended as a new page at the end of the PDF. This certificate records the signer's full name, their IP address, the timestamp of signing, and a SHA-256 cryptographic hash of the signed document. This creates a tamper-evident record that satisfies the requirements of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002.
- The completed, certified PDF is stored securely and a download link is made available to both you and your signer on the confirmation page.
You will also be able to see the document status change to "Signed" in your SignZA dashboard. The signed PDF can be downloaded at any time from the document's detail page.
For a deeper explanation of why the ECT Act certificate makes your signature legally enforceable, read our guide on whether e-signatures are legally valid in South Africa.
How does the complete e-signature process work in South Africa?
Want to see every screen in detail? Read the complete walkthrough guide with annotated screenshots of every step.
Frequently asked questions
Does the signer need to create a SignZA account?
No. Signers never need to register, pay, or download anything. They receive a unique signing link — via WhatsApp, email, or SMS — and sign directly in their web browser. This makes the process fast and frictionless, especially for clients and customers who may not be tech-savvy.
Can I send to multiple signers?
SignZA currently generates one signing link per document session. If you need multiple people to sign the same document, the recommended approach is to send it to the first signer, download the signed PDF once they are done, upload it again, and send a new link to the next signer. Multi-party signing in a single workflow is on the product roadmap.
What file types does SignZA accept?
SignZA accepts PDF files only, up to a maximum of 10 MB. If your document is in another format — Microsoft Word (.docx), Google Docs, or a scanned image — you will need to convert it to PDF first. In Word, use File → Save As → PDF. On any device, you can also print-to-PDF from the print dialog. Google Docs: File → Download → PDF Document.
How does the signer know I sent them a document?
SignZA does not automatically send an email to your signer — you share the link yourself via WhatsApp, email, or any channel you prefer. This gives you full control over how you introduce the document and set context for your signer. Most South African businesses send a short WhatsApp message explaining what the document is and asking the signer to open the link.
What happens if the signer doesn't sign within the deadline?
If you have set an expiry on the signing link, it will stop working after that date. Your signer will see a message informing them the link has expired. You can re-send a new link from your SignZA dashboard at any time — there is no limit on how many times you can generate a fresh link for the same document. If no expiry is set, the link remains valid indefinitely until the signer completes it or you void the document from your dashboard.