South Africa’s National Opt-Out Registry was launched in Pretoria on Wednesday. However, consumers who want to block unwanted marketing calls will only be able to register from May 2027, about ten months later than the National Consumer Commission (NCC) first promised.
Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau unveiled the registry and described it as a single, free, government-run way for South Africans to opt out of direct marketing. He said South Africa ranks ninth in the world for spam call intensity, and that nearly 30% of calls from unknown numbers are classified as spam or fraud. Once a consumer registers a block, direct marketers must remove that person from their lists.
The NCC cited Truecaller data showing about 17.5bn spam calls in South Africa in the first half of 2026, an increase of 25.2% on the same period last year. The registry covers calls, text messages, e-mails and other electronic communication.
| Milestone or rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Regulations gazetted | 15 April 2026 |
| Marketer registration opened | 15 September 2026 |
| Registry launched | 7 October 2026 |
| Marketer registration deadline | December 2026 |
| Free list cleansing | December 2026 to April 2027 |
| Full enforcement | 15 April 2027 |
| Consumer blocking opens | May 2027 |
| Marketer registration / renewal fee | R2,574 / R1,930.50 |
| Cleansing fee per entry | 14c (2027) rising to 18c (2029) |
| Maximum penalty | R1m or 10% of turnover |
The rollout happens in phases. Marketer registration only opened on 15 September. Marketers have until December to sign up and can check their lists against the registry free of charge until April 2027. Tau said the NCC will enforce the law in full from 15 April 2027, about two weeks before consumers can block anyone. In April, the NCC had said registration for both marketers and consumers would start in July 2026. It has not explained either delay.
The costs for marketers could be significant. Law firm ENS has warned that the wording of the regulations may mean a marketer’s entire database is charged each time it is checked against the registry. On that reading, checking one million records a month would cost R140,000 a month, or R1.68m a year, at 2027 rates. Marketers who break the rules face penalties of up to R1m or 10% of annual turnover, whichever is greater. Draft guidelines published on 2 October also allow for prosecution in serious cases, with up to 12 months’ imprisonment. Under the draft, any existing consent becomes invalid once a consumer registers a block.
The registry closes a 15-year gap. The Consumer Protection Act, in force since 2011, gave consumers the right to block direct marketing. Only in April 2026 did Tau publish regulations naming the NCC as the registry’s administrator.
The registry also has limits. It depends on marketers registering and following the rules, so it will not stop criminal scam calls, which are included in Truecaller’s figures. Tau acknowledged that scam networks increasingly use number spoofing and artificial intelligence to reach consumers.
A rival list remains in place. The Direct Marketing Association of South Africa has run its own do-not-contact list for almost two decades and plans to keep it, even though the NCC has said it will not recognise private opt-out services when handling complaints. Chief executive David Dickens said the list holds more than a million entries. He said handing it to the NCC is an option, but would need guidance from the Information Regulator.
Until May 2027, consumers’ main protection remains the Protection of Personal Information Act. The Information Regulator classifies telephone calls as electronic communication under that law, which means businesses need opt-in consent before marketing to people who are not their customers.