Spam calls hit 17.47 billion as Tau launches national opt-out registry

South Africans will be able to block unwanted direct marketing from May 2027 through a new national registry, but the system will first require direct marketers to register and clean their lists.

The National Opt-Out Registry is a free, government-administered platform launched by the National Consumer Commission (NCC) to curb unsolicited calls, SMSes and other electronic communications. It gives effect to Section 11 of the Consumer Protection Act (CPA), which gives consumers the right to block unwanted direct marketing.

Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau gazetted the Consumer Protection Act Amendment Regulations, 2026, empowering the NCC to administer the registry. Speaking at the launch in Pretoria on Wednesday, Tau said South Africa ranked ninth globally for spam call intensity, with nearly 30% of calls from unknown numbers classified as spam or fraudulent.

“South Africans are becoming more alert, but alertness alone cannot substitute for a proper regulatory backstop. Scam and marketing networks are becoming more sophisticated, using spoofing and artificial intelligence to reach consumers,” Tau said.

According to Truecaller’s 2026 South Africa Spam Report, South Africans received 17.47 billion spam calls between January and June 2026, up 25.2% from the same period in 2025. Spam SMSes rose by 58.9% to 3.71 billion.

Tau said the registry was introduced to address the growing problem. “Today, with the launch of this registry, we take a significant step in managing direct access marketing, and significantly curb spam calling and messaging,” he said.

The Minister said Section 14 of the Constitution guarantees everyone the right to privacy. “A person’s phone number, email address and time are not raw material to be harvested and traded without their consent,” he said. “The right to refuse direct marketing is not new. Section 11(3) of the Consumer Protection Act gives every consumer the right to preemptively block unwanted direct marketing.”

Tau said the launch gives every South African access to a single, free, government-administered way to opt out. “Once you have registered a block, direct marketers must remove you from their lists. Your registration applies, regardless of consent you may have given in the past, including consent buried in the fine print of a contract you signed years ago,” he said. “If a marketer keeps contacting you, report it to the National Consumer Commission. Every complaint helps us enforce the law.”

Every direct marketer must register with the registry and renew the registration annually. “An unregistered marketer may not contact any consumer for direct marketing,” Tau said.

NCC Acting Commissioner Hardin Ratshisusu described the launch as a major milestone for consumers. “The National Opt-Out Registry will promote responsible direct marketing, ensuring consumers are protected from unwanted direct marketing through spam calls, texts, e-mails and other electronic communication,” Ratshisusu said.

The NCC held a webinar on 24 July 2026, attended by more than 400 direct marketers. “We took most of the recommendations into consideration, including the roll-out of the system,” Ratshisusu said. According to Ratshisusu, South Africa joins a growing number of jurisdictions that have adopted national opt-out or ‘do-not-call’ registries.

Under the system, direct marketers must register and cleanse their lists each month before conducting any direct marketing campaign. This will help ensure that consumers who have blocked a direct marketer do not receive unwanted communications from that marketer.

To exercise their rights under Section 11 of the CPA, consumers must register and preemptively block direct marketers. The registry will be introduced in phases.

Phase 1 opened for direct marketers to register on 15 September 2026 and will continue until December 2026. A direct marketer that fails to register during this period may thereafter be in contravention of Section 11 of the CPA, read with the Consumer Protection Act Amendment Regulations, 2026.

From December 2026 to April 2027, the NCC will allow direct marketers to cleanse their marketing lists at no cost. This five-month period is intended to help them understand the process and prepare to interface with the system.

Once these phases are complete, consumers will be able to register with the Opt-Out Registry from May 2027 and preemptively block unwanted direct marketing. The NCC has urged consumers and direct marketers to register, and will run a sustained consumer education programme and publish further guidance.

This report is based on the official government summary of the launch. The full regulations and registry terms are published by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition and the NCC.

Source: SAnews (South African Government News Agency), New national registry gives consumers power to block unwanted marketing, https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/new-national-registry-gives-consumers-power-block-unwanted-marketing