South Africans are facing an increasing flood of unwanted calls and messages, with new data showing that spam activity has surged despite recent regulatory efforts aimed at curbing aggressive telemarketing practices.
According to figures shared by Truecaller, the volume of spam calls detected in South Africa during the first five months of 2026 rose sharply compared to the same period a year earlier. The increase comes even as government authorities and regulators have introduced tougher compliance requirements for direct marketers.
The latest findings suggest that the country’s ongoing battle against nuisance calls remains far from won.
Billions of spam calls recorded in 2026
Truecaller estimates that more than 14.4 billion spam calls were identified in South Africa between January and May 2026, representing a 22.9% increase from the same period in 2025.
The company said every month of 2026 has so far recorded higher spam call volumes than the corresponding month last year. March experienced the largest year-on-year increase, with spam activity jumping by more than one-third.
The growth in spam text messages was even more dramatic. Truecaller reported that spam messaging volumes increased by 61.2% during the same period.
While the overall figures paint a concerning picture, there was one positive trend. The number of blocked spam calls rose by 28.1% year-on-year, allowing the proportion of identified spam calls that were successfully blocked to improve from 39.3% to 40.9%.
Truecaller noted that its figures are market-wide estimates based on spam calls detected by Android users of its platform. The company then extrapolates the data using South Africa’s total mobile subscriber base to estimate nationwide volumes.
Government steps up enforcement
The rise in spam activity has occurred despite a series of regulatory reforms introduced over the past two years.
In April 2026, Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau published amendments to South Africa’s Consumer Protection Act regulations designed to strengthen consumer protection against unsolicited direct marketing.
The updated regulations introduced a formal opt-out registry that requires telemarketers to register and comply with specific rules when conducting direct marketing campaigns.
One of the most significant additions was the introduction of a “pre-emptive block” mechanism. This allows consumers to proactively register their details to prevent unwanted contact from direct marketers before any communication takes place.
The regulations also require direct marketers to renew their registration annually and ensure that consumers can clearly identify the company behind any marketing communication, including contact details such as email addresses, physical addresses and telephone numbers.
Businesses are also required to maintain accurate records and remove the personal information of consumers who have registered a pre-emptive block.
Alongside these measures, South Africa’s Information Regulator strengthened its own rules under the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), which took effect in April 2025.
Under those regulations, telemarketers must record consumer consent during initial contact and retain proof of that consent. The requirement applies not only to human callers but also to automated calling systems frequently used in telemarketing campaigns.
Legal experts from Bowmans have previously noted that these recordings must be made available to consumers upon request, reinforcing transparency and accountability in the direct marketing industry.
Despite these efforts, the latest data suggests that spam calls remain a growing nuisance for millions of South Africans. Regulators may now face increasing pressure to strengthen enforcement and ensure that existing rules are properly implemented if they hope to reverse the trend.
Source: MyBroadband, Truecaller, Department of Trade, Industry and Competition