South Africa Cracks Down on Spam Calls With Potential Jail Time

The South African government is taking a harder stance against unwanted marketing calls with new draft guidelines from the National Consumer Commission (NCC). Repeat or serious violations could now lead to criminal prosecution, including fines and up to 12 months in prison.

This move addresses a persistent problem where South Africans receive an average of 25 spam calls monthly—among the highest rates on the continent. While previous regulations like the Consumer Protection Act included provisions for opt-out registers, enforcement has been limited, and unwanted calls continue.

The new guidelines would require businesses to check their marketing lists against a national registry before sending campaigns, removing consumers who have opted out. The registry would charge a small fee per name check (R0.12 or $0.0072), providing companies with a cleaned list valid for 30 days.

This shift puts more responsibility on businesses to ensure compliance rather than relying on consumers to block individual numbers. While the threat of jail time may seem extreme, it represents a significant escalation in enforcement that could deter widespread spam calling practices.

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