South Africa launches registry to curb unwanted marketing calls and messages

South Africa’s National Consumer Commission has launched a National Opt-Out Registry designed to help consumers prevent unwanted direct marketing calls, text messages, emails and other electronic communications.

The phased system shifts more responsibility to companies that conduct direct marketing. Businesses will be required to register, review their marketing databases and take consumer opt-outs into account before contacting people.

Registration and implementation timetable

The commission said direct marketers have been able to register since September 15 and must complete the process by December 2026. Companies will then have five months, from December 2026 through April 2027, to cleanse their marketing lists and prepare to connect with the registry at no cost.

From May 2027, consumers who are registered on the system will be able to block direct marketers from contacting them in advance. Marketers will also be expected to cleanse their lists every month before launching campaigns and incorporate consumer opt-outs into their marketing systems.

The requirements are expected to affect a wide range of businesses, including fintech companies, banks, telecommunications operators, insurers, retailers and other digital businesses. Potential operational changes may include adjustments to customer databases, campaign-management tools and internal compliance processes.

Response to rising spam activity

The registry comes as unwanted calls and messages remain a significant consumer concern in South Africa. Truecaller’s 2026 South Africa Spam Report recorded 17.5 billion spam calls in the country between January and June 2026, a 25.2% increase from the same period in 2025.

The report also recorded 3.7 billion spam SMS messages during the first six months of the year, representing a 58.9% increase compared with the corresponding period in 2025.

The registry gives effect to Section 11 of South Africa’s Consumer Protection Act, which provides consumers with the right to block unwanted direct marketing communication.

At the launch, Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau said consumers needed more than awareness to deal with increasingly sophisticated marketing and scam networks.

“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.

He also linked the initiative to constitutional privacy protections, saying: “Section 14 of our 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.”

Guidance for consumers and businesses

Hardin Ratshisusu, acting commissioner of the National Consumer Commission, described the launch as an important development for people who have faced persistent unwanted marketing.

“This is a momentous occasion for consumers who have for years been flooded with unwanted direct marketing. 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 commission said it would publish additional guidance and conduct a consumer education programme. The available information does not specify how enforcement or penalties for non-compliance will operate.