Fight against spam calls in South Africa

• Vodacom and MTN have committed to reducing spam calls on their networks in South Africa, with Vodacom deploying real-time monitoring and machine learning tools to block suspicious callers.
• South African cellular users have experienced a surge in spam calls, with monthly volumes nearly 23% higher in the first five months of 2026 than in the same period last year, according to data from Truecaller.
• The Information Regulator and the Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition have implemented measures to crack down on spam calls, including penalties of up to R1 million for direct marketers who fail to comply with South Africa's direct marketing regulations.