South Africans received billions of spam calls in just six months this year. Now, government is moving ahead with a national system designed to give consumers greater control over unwanted direct marketing.

Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau is expected to provide further details on South Africa’s National Opt-Out Registry on Wednesday, 7 October.

The scale of the problem is enormous. Truecaller data cited by Business Day shows that South Africans received about 17 billion spam calls in the first half of 2026.

The new registry aims to give consumers a simpler way to say: stop calling me.

But while the system could change how legitimate businesses contact consumers, experts have raised questions about how it will work, what it will cost businesses and whether it can truly reduce unwanted calls.

How will South Africa’s Opt-Out Registry work?

The National Opt-Out Registry will create a central system where consumers can indicate that they do not want to receive direct marketing.

Instead of repeatedly asking individual companies to stop contacting them, consumers will be able to register their preference in one place.

Direct marketers will then have to check their customer databases against the registry and remove people who have opted out. Businesses will also be required to repeat these checks every month.

The National Consumer Commission will oversee the system.

The changes could have a major impact on the financial services industry. ITWeb, citing Truecaller data, reported that financial services accounted for 50.7% of identified spam calls, with insurance companies among the major contributors.

Businesses could face penalties for ignoring opt-outs

The new rules place greater responsibility on companies to ensure they do not contact consumers who have blocked direct marketing.

IOL reports that businesses that fail to comply could face an administrative penalty of up to R1 million or 10% of annual turnover.

The central registry is intended to give consumers one place to opt out, rather than requiring them to contact individual marketers.

For businesses, however, the change brings new costs and responsibilities.

David Dickens, CEO of the Direct Marketing Association of South Africa, told ITWeb that the organisation supports stronger consumer protection but expects difficulties as companies adjust to the system.

“As with any regulatory change, implementation challenges are anticipated.”

These include the costs of registering and regularly checking marketing databases. Dickens said further government guidance would be important to ensure businesses understand what is required of them.

What if you previously agreed to marketing?

Another important question involves consumers who previously gave companies permission to contact them.

People often agree to receive marketing when opening accounts, entering competitions, downloading apps or signing up for services. But what happens when someone later adds their details to the National Opt-Out Registry?

Tebogo Sibidla, a director at law firm Werksmans, says there is still uncertainty over which instruction should take priority.

“South African law does not yet clearly prescribe a hierarchy between prior express consent and subsequent pre-emptive block in every scenario.”

This means a business could have one record showing that a customer agreed to marketing and another showing that the same person later opted out.

Until greater clarity is provided, businesses may need to take a cautious approach when dealing with conflicting instructions.

Experts raise concerns about consumer data

The registry itself will also hold personal information belonging to consumers, raising another important question: how will that information be protected?

Law firm Michalsons has warned that operating the registry will involve handling large amounts of personal information.

“The commission will handle substantial personal information, necessitating stringent security measures to mitigate potential risks.”

Mayet & Associates has described the changes as a powerful tool for consumers, while warning that businesses could face additional costs and may need to change how they market their products and services.

Protecting consumers from unwanted marketing will therefore need to go hand in hand with protecting the information they provide to the registry.

Will the new registry stop spam calls in South Africa?

This is the biggest question.

For legitimate direct marketers, the National Opt-Out Registry could significantly change when and how they contact South Africans.

But registering does not necessarily mean every unwanted phone call will disappear.

The system is designed to regulate direct marketing. Scam and fraudulent callers who already operate outside the rules present a different challenge.

The success of the registry will depend on whether businesses follow the rules, whether action is taken against those that do not and whether the system is simple enough for ordinary South Africans to use.

What happens next?

Tau is scheduled to brief the media alongside National Consumer Commissioner Hardin Ratshisusu and Information Regulator chairperson Advocate Pansy Tlakula.

More details are expected on how the National Opt-Out Registry will operate and what consumers and businesses will need to do.

For South Africans accustomed to seeing an unknown number flash across their screens and wondering whether another sales pitch is waiting on the other end, the registry could mark an important change.

After billions of unwanted calls, however, its success will ultimately be measured by something much simpler: whether the phone finally stops ringing.