Spam-call crackdown: South Africa’s opt-out registry sets April 2027 compliance deadline

South Africa's National Opt-Out Registry will be fully operational by April 15, 2027, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Competition's Parks Tau. The opt-out system will operate in two phases, with registration ending mid-April next year. Companies that do not register in time could face fines of up to R1 million or 10% of annual turnover, whichever is higher.

The Truecaller 2026 survey revealed that South Africans received an estimated 17.47 billion spam calls between January and June 2026, a 25% increase compared to the same period in 2025. The Registry aims to curb this issue by allowing consumers to preemptively block unwanted direct marketing. Section 14 of the South African Constitution guarantees the right to privacy, and Section 11(3) of the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) gives consumers the right to block unwanted direct marketing.

However, for 15 years, this right was largely on paper. The opt-out Registry is not a ban on electronic communication, but requires businesses to respect and consider consumers. National Consumer Commissioner Hardin Ratshisusu outlined the two phases of implementation, with the first phase focusing on registration from September 15 to December 2026 and the second phase allowing direct marketers to cleanse their marketing lists from December 2026 to April 2027.

The National Consumer Commission will run consumer education initiatives to assist with registration. Businesses and individuals can register through the NCC's website. Compliance with both the new Registry and the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) will be necessary, as POPIA already regulates the use of personal information for direct marketing.