NCC launches opt-out registry as South Africa records 17.47bn estimated spam calls

On October 12, 2026, the National Consumer Commission (NCC) launched the free National Opt-Out Registry to help South African consumers block unwanted marketing calls and messages, following a surge in spam calls. Truecaller's 2026 Spam Report recorded 17.47 billion spam calls in the first half of 2026, a 25.2% increase from the previous year. Consumers will be able to register and pre-emptively block marketers starting in May 2027, after businesses have had time to register and update their marketing databases.