End of spam calls? South Africa launches registry to block unwanted marketers

South Africa – South Africans could soon have greater protection from the flood of unwanted marketing calls, SMSes and emails after the National Consumer Commission (NCC) launched a government-administered National Opt-Out Registry.

According to BusinessTech, the registry is designed to give consumers a free mechanism to block unwanted direct marketing communication.

The launch comes as spam calls continue to surge.

Data cited by the NCC and reported by Business Day shows that South Africans received 17.47 billion spam calls between January and June 2026, a 25.2% increase from the same period in 2025. Spam SMSes also increased by 58.9% to 3.71 billion.

The dtic said the registry gives consumers the ability to pre-emptively block direct marketers, while businesses will be required to register and check the registry before conducting marketing campaigns.

Introduced in phases 

“This is to ensure that consumers who have enacted a block against a direct marketer do not receive any unwanted direct communication,” the NCC said.

The system is being introduced in phases. Direct marketers were allowed to register from 15 September 2026, with the registration period running until December. Businesses will then have five months, from December 2026 to April 2027, to cleanse their marketing databases against the registry.

The system is expected to become fully operational for consumers from May 2027, when registered consumers will be able to pre-emptively block direct marketers.

NCC Acting Commissioner Hardin Ratshisusu described the launch as a major development for consumers who have faced years of unwanted marketing.

“This a momentous occasion for consumers who have for years been flooded with unwanted direct marketing,” Ratshisusu said, adding that the registry would promote “responsible direct marketing” and protect consumers from spam calls, texts and emails.

Impact of unwanted calls

The scale of the problem has also raised concerns about the impact of unwanted calls on legitimate voice communications. Newsday reported that Truecaller data showed South Africa had been targeted by almost 17.5 billion spam calls in the first half of 2026.

Truecaller’s Mmathebe Zvobwo said sales-related calls were the biggest contributor, accounting for 64% of spam and scam calls in July. “They’re primarily sales calls. They’re primarily telemarketers,” she said.

However, questions remain over how effectively the new system will deal with fraudulent and cross-border calls. BusinessTech previously reported warnings from legal experts that calls originating outside South Africa may fall beyond the reach of the new regulations.

The regulations nevertheless represent a significant shift in responsibility, requiring marketers to actively check and cleanse their databases rather than relying solely on consumers to opt out of individual marketing campaigns.

The move follows amendments to the Consumer Protection Act, which provide consumers with a statutory right to block unwanted direct marketing communication.

With billions of unwanted calls recorded in just six months, the new registry is expected to provide consumers with a stronger legal and administrative tool to take control of who can contact them for marketing purposes.