South Africa launches national registry to block unwanted marketing

South Africa has launched the National Opt-Out Registry, a free, government-administered platform designed to allow citizens to block unwanted direct marketing, including unsolicited calls, SMS messages, and emails. Administered by the National Consumer Commission (NCC) under amended Consumer Protection Act regulations, the registry provides a single mechanism for consumers to preemptively block marketers rather than requesting removal from individual companies.

Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau noted that South Africa ranks ninth globally for spam call intensity, with nearly 30% of calls from unknown numbers identified as spam or fraudulent. The new regulations require businesses to register with the system and cleanse their databases monthly to remove individuals who have opted out.

Failure to comply with these regulations constitutes a violation of the Consumer Protection Act. Non-compliant businesses may face administrative penalties of up to R1 million or 10% of their annual turnover, whichever is greater. The registry is intended to protect constitutional privacy rights against increasingly sophisticated scam and marketing networks using artificial intelligence and spoofing techniques.