South Africa has taken a formal step to curb unwanted direct marketing, including spam calls, by amending regulations under the Consumer Protection Act. The changes create the framework for a national opt-out registry that will allow consumers to block direct marketing and require marketers to register and screen their contact lists.

The move follows a public comment process launched in late 2024 and forms part of a broader consumer protection push by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition and the National Consumer Commission. According to official planning documents, the registry system has been under development and was expected to go live in 2026.

New rules target unwanted direct marketing

The amended regulations establish an opt-out registry system under the Consumer Protection Act, with the National Consumer Commission set to administer it. In practice, this means consumers can register a pre-emptive block against direct marketing, while direct marketers must check and cleanse their databases before contacting people.

The dtic signalled these changes during the draft phase in October and November 2024. At that stage, it said direct marketers would have to register and ensure they do not contact consumers who have already blocked direct marketing through the registry. The government’s document portal now shows the amendment notice dated 15 April 2026.

The source article says consumer and direct marketer registration will begin in July, and that non-compliant direct marketers could face penalties of up to R1 million or 10% of annual turnover, whichever is greater. Those details fit the tougher enforcement approach described in the regulatory overhaul, although the full final gazette text was not fully extractable from the official PDF preview available through search.

Registry has been in development for several years

The opt-out registry is not a brand-new idea. An NCC request for information states the system is being implemented in terms of section 11(3) of the Consumer Protection Act and is intended to let consumers opt out while requiring marketers to cleanse their databases before engaging them.

That same NCC document says the complaints-handling side of the e-service platform was already live, while the opt-out registry side was expected to go live during 2026. In its 2025/26 planning material, the dtic also listed the Consumer Protection Amendment Regulations as a measure that would introduce stronger controls against unwanted direct marketing communications and create a National Opt-Out Registry.

Responses and what happens next

The National Consumer Commission welcomed the amendment, according to the supplied source article, and said the rules provide a mechanism for consumers to opt out of unwanted direct marketing. The Commission is expected to administer the system and oversee compliance once registrations open.

What consumers will likely watch next is the launch process itself: when the registry opens, how people can register, and how quickly marketers update their databases. For businesses, the next test will be operational compliance, especially if monthly list cleansing and marketer registration become active enforcement requirements.