comments

Advert

Advert – scroll down

Displaying the 5 latest comments.

Submitted	first-name	support	concern	top-concern	message
2026-10-02 21:37:46 +02:00	Karen	No I do not	All of the above	Failure to Target Rogue & Offshore Spammers
2026-10-02 21:34:36 +02:00	Mandlakayise Lucas	No I do not	All of the above	Excessive Costs & Monthly Red-Tape for SMMEs
2026-10-02 21:03:44 +02:00	Charles	No I do not	All of the above	Political Party Loophole
2026-10-02 20:36:45 +02:00	Florian	No I do not	All of the above	Political Party Loophole	The bill does not aim at the problem. People who would profit from it are actually punished: especially non-profits. Political parties should not be excempted.
2026-10-02 19:26:58 +02:00	Naomi	Not fully	All of the above	Excessive Costs & Monthly Red-Tape for SMMEs

🟢 Arguments in Favour (NCC & Proponents)

- Statutory Opt-Out Registry
  Replaces the voluntary, toothless industry list with a centralised, state-administered statutory registry with real enforcement powers.
- Enforcement & Penalties
  Enforces accountability by backing registry blocks with National Consumer Tribunal administrative fines and criminal penalties of up to 12 months imprisonment.
- 12-Cent Cleansing Fee
  Shifts the operational cost of privacy protection onto commercial direct marketers who profit from consumer databases, sparing taxpayers.
- Political Campaigning
  Political participation and democratic canvassing are constitutionally protected activities distinct from commercial sales pitches.
- NPO / Charity Inclusion
  Financial solicitations are invasive regardless of who initiates them; consumers deserve protection from aggressive donation requests.
- Fresh Consent Restrictions
  Prevents unscrupulous corporate marketers from tricking consumers into signing away their opt-out block via buried contract clauses.

🔴 Arguments in Opposition (Civil Society & Critics)

- Statutory Opt-Out Registry
  South Africa already enacted an opt-in model under POPIA Section 69; introducing a parallel CPA opt-out mechanism creates legal ambiguity and administrative conflict.
- Enforcement & Penalties
  Threatening small business owners with criminal records and prison sentences over administrative marketing list errors is disproportionate and heavy-handed.
- 12-Cent Cleansing Fee
  Imposes an ongoing, compounding monthly financial drain on small businesses and non-profits that lack the budgets of massive corporations.
- Political Campaigning
  Carves out a self-serving loophole for politicians to inundate citizens’ phones during election cycles while everyday citizens cannot opt out.
- NPO / Charity Inclusion
  Starves community non-profits by treating charitable funding appeals identically to predatory corporate telemarketing schemes.
- Fresh Consent Restrictions
  Paternalistically invalidates a citizen’s explicit decision to subscribe to updates from a specific brand or local business.