Sick of telemarketers? A new law lets you finally shut them down

By Mapaballo Borotho

South Africa is introducing an Opt-Out Registry to help consumers block unwanted marketing calls and messages.
Direct marketers will be required to register and remove opted-out consumers from their contact lists before reaching out.
Non-compliance could lead to fines of up to R1 million or 10% of annual turnover.

South Africans frustrated by persistent spam calls will soon have relief, thanks to new regulations aimed at blocking unwanted marketing communications and giving consumers greater control.

This follows the amendment of Regulation 4 of Section 11(3) of the Consumer Protection Act No. 68 of 2008 (CPA), gazetted by the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau, on 15 April 2026.

The amended regulations introduce an Opt-Out Registry system, which provides consumers with a formal mechanism to block unwanted direct marketing.

According to the National Consumer Commission (NCC), all direct marketers will be required to register in order to ensure compliance with the CPA and its regulations.

The rules also outline requirements such as registration, renewal, and data cleansing (deduplication) fees. Direct marketers are obligated to update their marketing lists by removing consumers who have opted out before contacting them with promotional offers.

Through the Opt-Out Registry, consumers will be able to block marketing communications from specific companies or the entire direct marketing industry.

Registration for both consumers and direct marketers is set to begin in July 2026. Prior to this, the NCC will provide further details on the registration process. All direct marketers will be expected to comply.

Failure to adhere to the regulations will constitute a violation of the CPA and may result in administrative penalties of up to R1 million or 10% of a company’s annual turnover, whichever is greater.

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