ZAIn the first half of 2026, South Africans received approximately 17.47 billion spam calls, averaging around 96 million per day, according to data shared at the Truecaller Critical Thinking Forum in Johannesburg. This represents a 25.2% increase compared to the same period in 2025, placing South Africa among the top 10 most targeted countries for spam. The surge in spam has eroded public trust, leading to fewer people answering unknown calls, challenges for legitimate businesses to communicate effectively, and increased risks of fraud as scammers exploit the noise. The forum, hosted by Truecaller alongside the Mail & Guardian and the Gordon Institute of Business Science, featured discussions involving industry leaders, regulators, and experts on combating spam through technological solutions, regulatory frameworks, and cross-industry collaboration. While there was some indication that users have become more cautious, answering fewer spam calls, the issue remains complex, as avoiding all unknown calls hampers genuine communication.
Bias read (Center): While the topic involves national issues related to digital communication and trust, the article presents a balanced discussion featuring multiple stakeholders including industry representatives, regulators, and academics. There is no overt ideological slant toward either political side, and the phr
