17 billion spam calls later, SA moves to block unwanted marketing

South Africans could soon have a powerful tool to fight the endless stream of spam calls, texts and emails flooding their phones.

The Trade, Industry and Competition Department says the new National Opt-Out Registry will give consumers greater control over unwanted direct marketing.

Launching the system in Pretoria on Wednesday, Minister Parks Tau, revealed that South Africans received about 17 billion spam calls between January and June this year.

Data from caller-identification company, Truecaller, shows that figure was 25% higher than during the same period last year.

Tau says the problem is becoming even more difficult to contain as scammers increasingly turn to artificial intelligence and spoofing to make fraudulent communications appear legitimate.

He says South Africans have technically had the right to refuse unwanted marketing for 15 years, but enforcing that right has been challenging for consumers.

“The right to refuse direct marketing is not new. But for 15 years that right existed largely on paper. There was no central registry. Consumers had to chase marketers one by one,” Tau said.

Tau published the Consumer Protection Act Amendment Regulation, 2026, in April, paving the way for the establishment of the national registry.

Consumers will be able to register a pre-emptive block with the National Consumer Commission (NCC), effectively telling registered direct marketers to stay away. 

Once a consumer registers, direct marketers will be prohibited from contacting them for direct marketing and must remove that consumer’s information from their databases.

But the new rules will also put the burden on businesses. Direct marketers will have to register with the NCC before conducting direct marketing and pay an initial registration fee of R2,574 for 2026, followed by an annual renewal fee.

Businesses that fail to register could find themselves on the wrong side of the Consumer Protection Act.

The department says the rollout will happen in phases, with direct marketers required to complete registration by December 2026.

A second phase will then give registered marketers five months to cleanse their databases and integrate the registry into their systems.

Government says the system is intended to promote responsible direct marketing while giving consumers a practical way to exercise their right to privacy.

We have officially launched the National Opt-Out registry.

South Africans can finally breathe a sigh of relief and say goodbye to direct marketers that they don’t want to be contacted by, as well as an end to spam and fraudulent calls, SMSes and Emails. https://t.co/IYTOA64iIi

— Parks Tau (@TauParks) October 7, 2026