South Africa secures $1bn NDB loan for municipal infrastructure

The National Consumer Commission (NCC) in South Africa is set to launch a national opt-out registry for direct marketers, aiming to provide consumers with greater control over unwanted marketing calls. The new registry, backed by the Consumer Protection Act and administered by the government watchdog, will allow users to opt out of direct marketing from individual companies or the entire industry.

This move comes as South Africans continue to face a high volume of spam calls, with the number of spam calls recorded by Truecaller increasing by 25.2% between January and June 2026 compared to the previous year. The NCC's registry will complement the existing Do Not Contact list run by the Direct Marketing Association of Southern Africa (DMASA), but it is not clear if the two systems will eventually replace or work together.

The new registry is expected to be launched in July 2026, with registration for consumers and direct marketers commencing shortly after.

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