The National Consumer Commission (NCC) has welcomed the amendment of Regulation 4 of Section 11(3) of the Consumer Protection Act. The changes were gazetted by Trade, Industry and Competition Minister, Parks Tau, on 15 April 2026.
The amended regulations introduce a national Opt Out Registry system. This will allow consumers to block unwanted direct marketing communications, either from specific companies or across the entire industry.
The regulations designate the NCC as the official administrator of the registry. To ensure the system functions effectively, all direct marketers will be required to register. The framework also outlines fees for registration, renewals and the cleansing, or “deduping”, of marketing databases.
In terms of the Consumer Protection Act, read together with the amended regulations, direct marketers must update their contact lists before conducting marketing campaigns. This includes removing the details of consumers who have opted out via the registry.
Registration for both direct marketers and consumers is set to begin in July 2026. The NCC says it will provide further details on the registration process ahead of the launch.
Non-compliance with the regulations will be considered a violation of the Act. Offenders could face administrative penalties of up to one million rand or 10 percent of their annual turnover, whichever is higher.
Acting NCC Commissioner, Hardin Ratshisusu, says the changes are long overdue. He says consumers have been exposed to intrusive marketing for too long, and the new system will provide a strong mechanism to curb unwanted calls and messages.
The amended regulations introduce a national Opt Out Registry system. This will allow consumers to block unwanted direct marketing communications, either from specific companies or across the entire industry.
The regulations designate the NCC as the official administrator of the registry. To ensure the system functions effectively, all direct marketers will be required to register. The framework also outlines fees for registration, renewals and the cleansing, or “deduping”, of marketing databases.
In terms of the Consumer Protection Act, read together with the amended regulations, direct marketers must update their contact lists before conducting marketing campaigns. This includes removing the details of consumers who have opted out via the registry.
Registration for both direct marketers and consumers is set to begin in July 2026. The NCC says it will provide further details on the registration process ahead of the launch.
Non-compliance with the regulations will be considered a violation of the Act. Offenders could face administrative penalties of up to one million rand or 10 percent of their annual turnover, whichever is higher.
Acting NCC Commissioner, Hardin Ratshisusu, says the changes are long overdue. He says consumers have been exposed to intrusive marketing for too long, and the new system will provide a strong mechanism to curb unwanted calls and messages.