See
here:
In terms of the proposals, email or cellphone communication, in fact any form of electronic communication, is deemed personal information, requiring permission before a company can send any commercial item.
Louw said there were 36 countries that have enacted information protection statutes, and the draft proposal on the development of information privacy legislation for South Africa is, therefore, in line with international trends.
I wish they'd hurry up and ratify this already. Sadly, ordinary junk mail would probably be exempted as it's not "electronic communication."
'Luthon64