The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has welcomed newly amended regulations aimed at curbing unwanted direct marketing communications, including spam calls, in South Africa.
The amendments to Regulation 4 of Section 11(3) of the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) were officially gazetted on 15 April 2026 by the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Mr Parks Tau. The updated regulations introduce an Opt-Out Registry that will allow consumers to block unsolicited marketing communications.
Under the new framework, the NCC has been appointed as the administrator of the Opt-Out Registry. All direct marketers will be required to register with the system and comply with the CPA’s provisions. The regulations further outline requirements such as registration, renewal, and the cleansing of marketing databases to remove consumers who have opted out.
Under the law, direct marketers are obligated to update their contact lists before initiating any marketing activity. Consumers will have the option to block communication from specific marketers or opt out of all direct marketing communication across the industry.
The NCC has indicated that registration for both consumers and direct marketers will begin in July 2026, with further details on the registration process to be communicated ahead of implementation.
Non-compliance with the regulations will constitute a violation of the CPA and may result in an administrative penalty of up to R1 million or 10% of a company’s annual turnover, whichever is higher.
Welcoming the new regulations, NCC Acting Commissioner Hardin Ratshisusu said the move represents a significant step toward protecting consumers. He noted that for years, many South Africans have been exposed to intrusive and unwanted direct marketing, and the new system will provide a practical mechanism to reduce such practices.
