News & Insights
South Africa reinforces heavy vehicle manufacturing hub with Volvo and Tata
Industrial vehicle production continues to anchor South Africa’s automotive base, with Volvo Trucks commencing Euro 6 FH Aero assembly at its Durban plant and Tata Africa reaching its 12,000th truck milestone in Rosslyn, Tshwane, in April. Volvo’s Euro 6 assembly reflects tightening emissions alignment with global standards, positioning South Africa as a competitive export base […]
May 12 2026
AN UPDATE ON THE GREAT MERGER UPGRADE: The DTIC’s Amendments to Merger Thresholds and Filing Fees
In the first revision since 2017, Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau, has gazetted amendments to the merger notification thresholds and filing fees effective from 1 May 2026. The amendments, published on 8 May 2026, confirm the previously proposed draft thresholds and filing fees, as set out below. Category New threshold and filing […]
May 11 2026
Dismissal for want of prosecution in South African Law: a strategic imperative for Defendants
INTRODUCTION In a recent Johannesburg High Court judgment, the plaintiff, Karanie, instituted action against the life insurer, the defendant, in December 2012 for payment of benefits allegedly due under a life insurance policy. The Defendant defended the action and filed a counterclaim to recover payments already paid under the policy. The matter was then enrolled […]
May 06 2026
AI Draft Policy Withdrawal, an uncomfortable moment but a useful one
The recent withdrawal of South Africa’s draft national AI policy by Communications Minister Solly Malatsi has caused understandable embarrassment. Fictitious academic references found their way into a draft official policy document that advocates for proper AI governance and human oversight is not only acutely ironic but also damaging. Still, beyond the headlines and the inevitable […]
May 05 2026
Rebuilding Trust in AI Policymaking: South Africa’s Draft AI Policy Withdrawal
The recent withdrawal of South Africa’s Draft National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy by the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Mr Solly Malatsi, marks a significant and sobering moment in the country’s digital policy journey. The decision followed a week ending 25 April 2026 in which the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT) faced […]
May 05 2026
Cosplay and Intellectual Property: Where Fandom Meets Legal Reality
Comic Con has once again returned to South Africa. These pop culture conventions have evolved into global platforms for expression, commerce, and fan engagement, bringing together costume design, performance, merchandising, and digital content creation in a shared environment where fictional worlds are brought to life. In South Africa, as elsewhere, Comic Con has become both […]
May 04 2026
Adams & Adams retains title of Africa Firm of the Year at the 2026 Managing IP Awards
2 May 2026 – Adams & Adams has been named Africa Firm of the Year for the second consecutive year at the 2026 Managing Intellectual Property (IP) Awards for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), which was hosted in London on 2 May. The accolade cements the firm’s leadership position in IP law across […]
May 02 2026
Security for Costs in Full Court Appeals: A Practitioner’s Guide After Koopman v Minister of Police
Practitioners appearing in full court appeals have long worked on the assumption that Rule 49(13) of the Uniform Rules applies whenever an appeal is directed to the full court of a division of the High Court – regardless of who granted leave. That assumption has now been tested and found wanting. In Koopman v Minister […]
April 24 2026
Regulatory matters: policing the regulators: judicial oversight of disciplinary decisions
The judgment of the Free State Division of the High Court, delivered on 19 March 2026, serves as a compelling reminder that the decisions of professional regulatory bodies are not beyond scrutiny. The case concerned a Rule 53 review application brought by the applicant, a qualified accountant and Associate General Accountant member of the South […]
April 22 2026
The CIPC IP Youth Awards
The Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) of South Africa hosted the second CIPC IP Youth Awards in Fourways, Johannesburg, under the theme, ‘Young Ideas – South Africa’s Future Gold Standard’. The second edition of the awards expands on the first by exploring how IP can be used as a strategic tool for developing new […]
April 22 2026
OAPI and WIPO launches regional TISCS
During late February, a delegation from WIPO and the Funds-In-Trust Japan Industrial Property Global met with African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) officials in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the launch of innovation networks across the OAPI region. The network of the Technology and Innovation Support Centres (TISCs) is due to […]
April 22 2026
Morocco looking to lead the world in AI and intellectual property
Morocco was one of several countries that attended the launch of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) initiative, the Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure Interchange (AIII). Held in Geneva in March this year, the event was attended by almost 1,700 people, who explored technical systems, such as metadata standards, digital identifiers, watermarking and counter-intelligence technologies, which not […]
April 22 2026
A step closer to protection: West Nile shea butter
During March 2026, the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) hosted a consultative forum with shea butter producers hailing from the West Nile region, including Gulu, Lango and Teso. The purpose of the meeting was to align various shea butter producers on the registration of the West Nile shea butter as a geographical indication and provide […]
April 22 2026
ARIPO celebrates its 50th anniversary
In March 2026, the African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO) celebrated its 50th anniversary at ARIPO’s headquarters in Harare, Zimbabwe. The festivities included the debut of the organisation’s golden jubilee logo as well as the launch of the 50th anniversary theme, ‘Fostering innovation, creativity, and a sustainable future for Africa’. The logo (pictured below) was […]
April 22 2026
Egypt and Japan’s collaboration continues
The chairman of the Egyptian Intellectual Property Authority (EGIPA), Hisham Azmy, met with Japan’s Ambassador to Egypt, Fumio Iwai, in Cairo in March, to discuss future collaboration and overcoming some of the IP challenges between the two countries. At the meeting, Azmy presented a plan on how EGIPA intends to develop its IP strategy in […]
April 22 2026
Copyright and Neighbouring Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2025 passed in Uganda
The Parliament of Uganda passed the long-awaited Copyright and Neighbouring Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2025 on 17 March 2026, after first being read in Parliament on 13 May 2025. The Bill will now be presented to the President for his assent, before coming into operation. The passing of the Bill has been viewed as a landmark […]
April 22 2026
Plant Variety Protection and Intellectual Property Bootcamp hosted in Nigeria
WIPO, in conjunction with the National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC), National Plant Variety Protection Office (NPVPO) and Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), hosted a training bootcamp in Abuja, Nigeria, which was attended by lawyers, plant breeders and other agricultural professionals. Co-operation from these various stakeholders aims to stimulate agricultural innovation and commercialisation. […]
April 22 2026
Algeria launches its National Intellectual Property Policy Model
Algeria’s National Intellectual Property Policy Model was unveiled at the end of February 2026 in Algiers by Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Professor Kamel Badari. The policy model – which is supported by the WIPO, the Algerian National Institute of Industrial Property (INAPI) and the National Copyright and Related Rights Office (ONDA) – […]
April 22 2026