Spam calls NOT stopping? Here's what POPIA says and where you can report them...
No matter how calm you are, spam calls frustrate everyone.
Photo: Pexels/Moose Photos
947’s Anele and The Club speak with Advocate Tshepo Boikanyo of the Information Regulator of South Africa.
Listen below:
Unwanted spam calls have consumers pulling their hair out in frustration.
No matter who you are, how important you are or how much you earn, you are not exempt from these calls.
RELATED: Rise in spam calls leads to increased use of caller identification apps
The Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) does not prohibit direct marketing but aims to strike a balance between the right to market and the right to privacy.
The Act states that your telephone number can only be obtained from a legitimate source – in other words, you have personally given your contact details.
“If you are already an existing customer, our Act allows you to receive calls from the marketer, but only for similar products.”
– Advocate Tshepo Boikanyo, Information Regulator of South Africa
“When the individual is not a (direct) marketer… and the products are already being marketed to them… that is in contravention of the Act. The first call would be for you to give consent.”
– Advocate Tshepo Boikanyo, Information Regulator of South Africa
You can report spam calls by submitting a written complaint using the POPIA Form 5.
This form, available on the regulator's website, should be completed and emailed to POPIAComplaints@inforegulator.org.za.
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the discussion.