The CPA amendments launched in 2026 considerably change how property practitioners method chilly calling and direct advertising in South Africa, introducing stricter compliance obligations and shopper protections.
For property practitioners who depend on cold-calling and some other strategies of direct advertising, together with SMS campaigns, canvassing of neighbourhoods, or making use of outsourced lead era providers, this doesn’t imply the top of your prospecting technique. Nevertheless it does imply that your advertising strategies should now align with a clearly regulated system.
Direct Advertising stays lawful, however compliance is now not elective.
What the CPA Already Says
Part 11 of the CPA has all the time given customers the fitting to refuse direct advertising, demand {that a} marketer cease contacting them and pre-emptively block advertising by way of an official registry. It additionally gives for a grievance’s process towards direct entrepreneurs, which embrace the next:
Grievance to the Nationwide Shopper Fee (NCC)
A shopper might lodge a grievance with the Nationwide Shopper Fee, which can examine the provider’s conduct.
The NCC might situation a compliance discover directing the provider to cease the prohibited conduct and take corrective motion.
Referral to the Nationwide Shopper Tribunal
If the provider fails to conform, the matter could also be referred to the Nationwide Shopper Tribunal for enforcement proceedings.
The Tribunal might impose an administrative superb of the better of 10% of the provider’s annual turnover, or R1 million.
The amendments construct on part 11 by introducing operational and compliance obligations for direct entrepreneurs. However, are property practitioners thought to be direct entrepreneurs?
If you’re calling potential sellers, landlords, or patrons, or using using some other strategies of direct advertising, you’re a direct marketer. This triggers a set of ongoing compliance obligations, not only a once-off requirement.
Let’s take a look at the particular obligations that will apply to you.
Direct Marketer Obligations:
To stay compliant, property practitioners should:
Register as a Direct Marketer (Yearly)
It’s essential to formally register with the Nationwide Shopper Fee (NCC) by finishing the prescribed course of (Annexure P).
This isn’t casual — it requires:
Firm registration detailsVAT numberContact informationSupporting paperwork (e.g. tax clearance, BBBEE certificates)
There are additionally prescribed charges, together with:
Preliminary registration payment (R2 574,00);Annual renewal charges (R1930,50);Submitting cleaning payment per knowledge entry (R0,12).Conduct Month-to-month Database Cleaning
You might be required to examine your contact database towards the Nationwide Choose-Out Registry and take away any customers who’ve registered a pre-emptive block. This have to be completed month-to-month, not yearly. In different phrases: Your advertising checklist have to be repeatedly up to date to mirror shopper privateness selections.
Do Not Contact Blocked Shoppers
If a shopper has registered a pre-emptive block then you could not contact them in any respect for direct advertising.
Honour Direct Choose-Out Requests Instantly
That is separate from the registry however stays simply as essential. Even when a shopper is just not registered, they’ll inform you throughout a name, or shortly after, to not contact them once more and to take away their contact particulars from the direct marketer’s contact checklist. As per the CPA, you might be obliged to report that request, take away them out of your database and cease all future communication
Guarantee You Are Clearly Identifiable
All communications (calls, emails, SMSs) should clearly determine your company and supply clear and proper contact particulars.
Shopper Rights and Obligations:
Shoppers carry a a lot lighter burden, however they do nonetheless have a task to play. Shoppers have the fitting to register a pre-emptive block on the Choose-Out Registry and demand that any marketer stops contacting them (even with out registering on the Registry). These registrations and calls for might be made, freed from cost to the buyer.
If a shopper needs to make use of the Registry, they need to register by way of the prescribed course of (utilizing Annexure O), present correct info and should make sure that their particulars and knowledge are up to date. This ensures the system works successfully throughout all registered entrepreneurs.
An essential clarification – the widespread false impression is that buyers should register to be protected. That’s not right. Even when a shopper is just not on the registry, they’ll nonetheless instantly instruct you to cease contacting them and as a direct marketer, you have to adjust to this request.
Sensible Compliance for Property Practitioners
For companies throughout South Africa, this modification introduces a structured compliance obligation, not a ban on cold-calling.
A sensible, compliant method seems to be like this:Register yearly as a direct marketer on the Registry;Maintain your registration particulars updated;Run a month-to-month examine towards the registry and construct inner processes to report opt-out requests and instantly take away these contacts;Guarantee each communication clearly identifies your enterprise.
The amendments shift the panorama from casual advertising practices to regulated, accountable engagement. For property practitioners, the message is evident: You’ll be able to nonetheless cold-call however you have to register as a direct marketer; cleanse your database month-to-month and respect each registry blocks and direct opt-out requests. This modification doesn’t hinder your enterprise, it strengthens it by aligning your practices with shopper rights and constructing long-term belief.
For property practitioners, complying with the CPA amendments is now not elective — it’s a necessary a part of constructing compliant, reliable and sustainable prospecting methods.
